Apparently not close to making a deal to keep channels live on its platform, Fubo now has a page on its website dedicated to condemning NBCUniversal for “negotiating in bad faith.”
The page, shared at the bottom of a support article about the missing channels, starts with a statement on Fubo’s side of the disagreement: “NBCU is shifting content to their own streaming services while forcing Fubo to carry channels you don’t want at expensive rates. They are blocking your ability to choose cheaper alternatives.”
The rest of the page shares a lot of the same information we got in a press release earlier this week when Fubo accused NBCUniversal of “discriminatory tactics.” There are four bullet points to Fubo’s argument. First, NBCU wants to lock Fubo into paying for certain channels before the company spins them off into a new company, Versant, early next year. Second, Fubo is fighting to keep its Fubo Sports package at an affordable price point and focused on sports channels, while NBC wants the service to bundle its non-sports channels. Next, according to Fubo, NBCU is blocking the service from “ingesting” Peacock (making it available to purchase directly through Fubo) while it has offered that option to other services including YouTube TV. Finally, Fubo doesn’t want to pay for channels that it believes its subscribers won’t watch.
NBCUniversal channels include NBC Local Affiliates, Telemundo Local/National, NBC Sports 4K, NBC Sports RSNs, American Crimes, Bravo, Bravo Vault, Caso Cerrado, CNBC, CNBC World, Cozi, Dateline 24/7, E! Entertainment Television, E! Keeping Up, Golf Channel, GolfPass, LX Home, Million Dollar Listing Vault, MS Now, NBC NOW, NBC Sports NOW, NBC Universo, True CRMZ, New England Cable News, Noticias Telemundo Ahora, Oxygen True Crime, Oxygen True Crime Archives, Real Housewives Vault, SNL Vault, Telemundo Accion, Telemundo al Dia, The Golf Channel, Today All Day, Universal Movies, and USA Network.
While Fubo never says which of those channels specifically they don’t want, they do note on the page that NBCU is “using their powerful sports content to force us to pay above-market economics and force you to pay for non-sports content you don’t want.”
The blackout started on November 21, with Fubo saying “NBCU has offered terms regarding pricing and packaging that we believe are egregiously above those offered to other distributors our size.” NBCUniversal responded, saying that they offered the same terms that other distributors had already agreed to. Fubo is now saying that’s untrue, and it isn’t getting the same terms as other services.
As reiterated on the Fubo Transparency Center page, a $15 credit to subscribers will be automatically applied on or after Dec. 1, 2025, if the blackout continues.