Yesterday, YouTube TV removed some Fox regional sports networks and the YES Network from their live TV streaming lineup. The channels removed included Yes Network, Fox Sports Prime Ticket, and Fox Sports West.
Many subscribers were happy to not see their local Fox sports channel on the list. However, reports quickly started to come in showing that Fox sports networks that were being kept on YouTube TV were no longer available for subscribers outside of major cities. It looks like part of the negotiation with Sinclair involved keeping costs for the channels down by offering these regional networks only in much smaller areas, close to city centers.
Team YouTube is replying to some of these comments on Twitter messages like the one below.
As part of the agreement, FOX Regional Sports Networks will no longer be offered in selected areas as of March 5th. If you're impacted by the loss of channel, you’ll get notified in the app. You can also check which channels you still have access to here: https://t.co/DHiIZh6vlq
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) March 6, 2020
Most of the responses from YouTube are directing users to the YouTube TV homepage to see which channels are currently offered in the area. If you’re having trouble finding the channel lineup for your area, try signing out of your account, then entering your zip code for the full lineup of regular channels and locals, including RSNs.
Other messages from Team YouTube say “At this time, we don’t have info on when or if these Sinclair stations will come back.” Some customers are reporting that YouTube TV customer service says the negotiations are still going, so there may still be more news to come. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
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