YouTube TV fights over Fox Sports regional networks. Here are other streaming options
UPDATED March 2, 2020: YouTube TV and Sinclair have reached a temporary agreement to keep Fox regional sports networks available while the companies negotiate carriage fees, reports Deadline.com. We’ll keep an eye on negotiations and update here.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Streamers of live local sports got some pretty bad news this week.
YouTube TV announced on Thursday that it is dropping all of Fox’s regional sports networks (RSNs) as of Feb. 29, because of a carriage dispute with Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair owns 21 Fox RSNs, as well as the New York Yankees’ YES Network (yes, YES also goes away).
This includes Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Carolinas, so there goes your regional NHL, NBA and MLB coverage.
YouTube has said that they were unable to reach an agreement with Sinclair, but Sinclair said in a statement to The Streamable that the company had offered to lower the fees on RSNs and had offered a short-term extension. YouTube’s statement blames “the rising cost of sports content” as their reason for dropping the networks. (YouTube TV still offers ESPN networks, the ACC Network, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, SEC Network, NBA TV and the MLB Network.)
These same regional channels were dropped by Sling in July and FuboTV in January.
The remaining streaming services carrying Fox RSNs and YES are Hulu Live TV and AT&T TV Now.
How much will it cost to get Fox RSNs?
▪ Hulu Live TV costs $54.99 per month (first week is free) or you can get a no-ads version for $60.99 per month. That includes Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Carolinas (as well as live local channels ABC11, CBS 17, Fox 50 and WRAL). You also get the ACC Network, ESPN networks, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, SEC Network, FS1, FS2 and a few other sports channels. Info: hulu.com/live-tv
▪ AT&T TV Now costs $65 a month, but only lists Fox Sports South for Raleigh ZIP codes, not Fox Sports Carolinas. It also lists live local channels ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC, and sports networks ESPN and ESPN2. To get more ESPN networks, you’ll need the $80 version. Info: att.com/tv/locals
And of course, you can always go back to cable (the Fox RSNs are available locally on Spectrum, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, DirecTV).
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 11:17 AM.
