- YouTube TV and Fox reach a new agreement, avoiding channel blackouts.
- Sports fans keep access to NFL, MLB, and college football coverage.
- The deal underscores rising tensions over streaming carriage fees.
YouTube and Fox announced Friday that they reached a new distribution agreement, keeping Fox News, Fox Sports, and other Fox channels available to YouTube TV subscribers. The deal came after tense negotiations that raised concerns of potential channel blackouts during the peak of college football season.
Extension Averted Major Sports Blackout
Earlier this week, YouTube warned subscribers that Fox channels could be removed if no agreement was reached by Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET. The standoff threatened to deprive viewers of marquee events, including Sunday’s top-ranked Texas vs. Ohio State football clash and the start of the NFL season in September.
Fox had recently launched its own standalone streaming service, Fox One, priced at $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually. YouTube claimed Fox was demanding carriage fees “far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive,” raising the possibility of a drawn-out dispute.
Federal Officials Welcome Resolution
The Federal Communications Commission weighed in as tensions escalated. FCC Chair Brendan Carr applauded the resolution on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “This is great news for college football fans and avoids blackouts. Enjoy the games this weekend!”
Industry observers noted that sports programming remains one of the most valuable assets in distribution negotiations, with networks like Fox holding premium leverage thanks to rights over college football, the NFL, Major League Baseball, and the World Series.
YouTube TV Maintains Momentum
With 9.4 million subscribers, YouTube TV is the largest internet-based pay-TV provider in the U.S. Its base plan costs $82.99 per month and includes more than 100 live channels. According to Nielsen, YouTube captured over 13% of TV watch-time in July, underscoring its growing dominance in the streaming landscape.
The new deal ensures that Fox’s marquee sports coverage remains available to millions of fans as the fall sports calendar heats up. While financial details remain undisclosed, the agreement highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between traditional broadcasters and streaming giants over carriage fees and consumer pricing.
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For subscribers, the outcome is simple: Fox programming stays on YouTube TV. For the industry, however, the deal reflects a larger trend—streaming platforms and legacy broadcasters are negotiating harder than ever as they fight for audience attention and subscription dollars.
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