YouTube TV becomes next streamer to consider new skinny bundle
YouTube TV becomes next streamer to consider new skinny bundle
According to a report from Puck, YouTube TV is now thinking about launching a smaller channel package primarily intended for sports channels.
YouTube TV’s recent carriage negotiations with Fox turned so dicey that at one point, a blackout of Fox-owned channels seemed likely. While a well-timed tweet from the FCC chairman potentially aided in getting the two sides to come together on a multi-year deal last week, the largest live TV streaming service apparently has been working on other plans while dealing with the new Fox deal. As talks with other major media companies loom on the horizon, a new report indicates that YouTube TV has been considering whether or not to launch a new type of channel package.
Key Details:
- Next to the party: YouTube TV is thinking about the creation of a broadcast and sports package.
- They come as a set: The streamer is weighing the inclusion of channels that programmers want bundled in addition to sports and broadcast.
- More deals coming: Carriage negotiations with Disney and NBC are also coming this fall for YouTube TV.
In his report offering further details in the Fox and YouTube TV dispute, John Ourand of Puck News also revealed that there was an idea being kicked around YouTube TV headquarters that the streamer might create its own skinny channel bundle of sports and broadcast networks.
If YouTube TV were to go ahead with this idea, it would be the third live TV streaming service to create such a bundle, or to announce that it was in the process of doing so. DIRECTV was first to market with its MySports Genre Pack in January, offering 20+ channels for $70 per month, including ESPN, FS1, and local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC in many markets.
Fubo was next to the trend, announcing last week that it too was preparing a new streaming service that would offer local channels and sports networks. This package will also have more than 20 channels in it, and will cost $56 per month — though new customers will get a special introductory price of $46.
YouTube TV isn’t ready to announce a price or other details for its smaller channel package. According to Ourand, the company is still deciding which channels will go in it — and those decisions could have ripple effects. For instance, if the Fox broadcast channel is included, Ourand says that Fox will insist on adding Fox News to the package as well. The MySports pack from DIRECTV is set up this way, and the more channels that are in the package, the higher the price will be for customers.
The formulation of a smaller channel bundle at YouTube TV could also hinge on future carriage negotiations. Per Ourand, YouTube TV has deals set to expire with both Disney and NBC this fall, and those talks could go a long way to determining if channels from those programmers end up in a new bundle or not. Having those deals expire during football season is a dangerous game, and it’s far from certain that everyone will approach the talks with the best of intentions. When it’s all said and done, however, YouTube TV may be the next live TV streamer to begin selling a smaller-sized channel package of its own.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.