YES Network and LA Market Fox Sports RSNs Officially Dropped From YouTube TV

After reaching a temporary extension that saw 21 Fox Sports Regional Sports Networks and YES Network remain on YouTube TV past the Feb. 29 deadline — some channels are now expected to go dark today. The two sides have reached a deal, but will see YES Network and other “large-market RSNs” dropped from the service. We have learned that Fox Sports Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West will no longer be available, while the newly launched Marquee Sports Network isn’t included in the deal.

On Twitter, the service said, “We’ve reached an agreement with Sinclair and we’ll no longer offer Fox Regional Sports Networks in select areas. If you’re in an area that is affected by this change, you’ll be notified in the YouTube TV app soon.” While YouTube TV still carries RSNs from NBC Sports and NESN — it’s a major blow to subscribers for a service that positions themselves for sports fans.

One of the channels disappearing is YES Network, which airs New York Yankees games in the New York market. As a result, the team said it will block all telecasts, including those nationally televised games on channels like FOX and ESPN, from airing on the service.

YouTube TV, for its own selfish reasons and with total disregard for its YES customers, has refused to pay the market rate and accept market terms and conditions that other YES distributors have agreed to. In fact, YouTube TV sought a rate that was well below what other YES distributors are paying, and because YES keeps its word to all of its distributors, it could not make the deal. When YouTube TV realized it could not get a sweetheart, below-market deal, it dropped the YES Network.

Sinclair, for its own reasons, elected to make a deal for some but not all of its programming services which excluded large-market RSNs featuring iconic franchises and star players. The New York Yankees have made it clear to Major League Baseball and YouTube TV that the Yankees will not appear on any national games televised by YouTube TV through its national telecast agreement with Major League Baseball

This isn’t the only Live TV Streaming Service in a dispute with Sinclair over Fox Regional Sports Networks. In late July, Sling TV and Dish Network dropped the channels after being unable to reach an extension. In January, fuboTV dropped the RSNs from their service.

The channels are still dark on both services. With the shutdown on PlayStation Vue, Fox Regional Sports Networks will now only available to streamers on Hulu Live TV and AT&T TV NOW.

The channels which were acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group from Disney, after netting them as part of their deal for 21st Century Fox. FOX Regional Sports Networks broadcasts local telecasts of 14 MLB teams, 17 NBA teams and 13 NHL teams.