Sinclair Says They Offered ‘Lower Fees’ and ‘Short-Term Extension’ to YouTube TV in Fox RSN Dispute, With No Response

Earlier this morning, YouTube TV shocked subscribers with the news that they will drop 21 Fox Regional Sports Networks and YES Network beginning February 29th. This comes after the channels were dropped by Sling TV last July, and by fuboTV in January. 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.

In a statement to The Streamable, Sinclair spokesman Ronn Torossian said had offered to lower the fees on the RSNs, as well as a short-term extension.

We offered YouTube TV the best terms under which their competitors carry our Regional Sports Networks. Unfortunately, they alone decided to drop these channels citing ‘rising costs’ despite our offer to actually lower the fees they pay us.

We also offered to continue negotiating under a short-term extension so that their subscribers could continue to watch their favorite hometown teams. They’ve not yet responded to this offer.

Given the ease with which YouTube TV subscribers can drop the service and switch providers, we are surprised that they’ve chosen this course. At the very least, you have to imagine YouTube TV will be receiving lots of questions from subscribers asking about how much they intend to lower the subscription fee given that they are removing some of the most popular and in-demand programming they carry.

A YouTube spokesperson told The Streamable that the company didn’t “take this decision lightly.”

Our goal with YouTube TV is to offer you the content you love, delivered the way you want. Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to reach an agreement with Sinclair, the content provider that offers the FOX Regional Sports Networks and YES Network.

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.