If you rely on YouTube TV for your Fox-based Regional Sports Networks, get ready to get angry all over again. YouTube TV is informing affected customers that it once again is losing access to a number of Fox-branded RSNs owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, starting Oct. 1.
That means no more live sports on those channels, and no access to games you've previously recorded on YouTube TV.
The good news is that that the regular seasons (if not the postseason) already have passed for the major sports this affects — Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and the NBA.
YouTube TV laid out its side of the story in a Twitter thread:
"To bring you 85+ channels," it tweeted, "we periodically renegotiate contracts with content owners. In February, we announced we had negotiated an extension with Sinclair to continue providing FOX Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) through the end of MLB, NHL and NBA seasons."
"Now that the seasons are over, that extension is expiring. Starting October 1, 2020, FOX RSNs will no longer be available on YouTube TV. Members that are impacted will no longer have access to Library recordings from the FOX RSNs."
"This was a difficult decision made after months of negotiations. We hope we can bring FOX RSNs back in the future. We thank you for your membership as we work to make YouTube TV the best streaming experience. You will receive an email today if you are impacted by this change."
The flap goes back to late February 2020, when YouTube TV firriest sent an email to its subscribers letting them know that it'd "been unable to reach an agreement with Sinclair to continue to carry the FOX Regional Sports Networks and YES Network." The channels were set to expire two days later, on Feb. 29.
That deadline brought news of an extension, which is now expiring.
Making matters worse for folks over the summer was YouTube TV increasing its monthly price from $49.99 to $64.99. It added 14 ViacomCBS channels about the same time, but that was of little solace to those relying on the service for the regional sports networks.
