YouTube TV Has “No Plans” to Bring Back NESN to Stream Red Sox and Bruins
With the Boston Red Sox just a few weeks from Opening Day, YouTube TV subscribers shouldn’t get their hopes up for NESN to return to the service. NESN, the Regional Sports Network that carries Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox games, was dropped by the Live TV Streaming Service on October 31st.
A spokesperson told Boston.com, “While we have initiated and had additional conversations with YouTube TV, it is clear they have no plans to return the dropped regional sports networks or add new ones to their lineup despite consumers’ preferences. Therefore, we hope our fans will find NESN on the other cable, satellite, or streaming options available to them — the vast majority of which offer NESN currently.”
With the removal from YouTube TV, NESN will now only available to streamers on fuboTV ($69.99), which is available with a 7-Day Free Trial and AT&T TV (Choice Plan and above) for $84.99. You can compare all your options here.
| DTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Get $10 Off | Sign Up | |||
| $79.99 | $91.99 | $76.99 | $25 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| NESN | + $29 | ✓ | - | - | - | - | - | |
When the channel was dropped, YouTube TV told subscribers that their “agreement with New England Sports Network (NESN) has expired. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach a new agreement to continue offering you this network. Starting Saturday, October 31st, 2020, NESN will no longer be available on YouTube TV, and you will no longer have access to any previous recordings from NESN.”
There was hope that the two sides would reach a deal ahead of the Boston Bruins opener in January, but at the time the two sides weren’t even talking.
In January, a spokesperson for NESN told The Streamable that “there are no ongoing discussions with YouTube TV for carriage. NESN would certainly like to be back on their platform, but as you’re likely aware YouTube TV dropped over 20 other regional sports networks around the country. Unfortunately, it would seem they have limited interest in serving the fans of local teams.”