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- Google's YouTube TV will offer a cheaper sports-focused package in 2026.
- YouTube won the right to offer genre-specific bundles after tough negotiations with media companies.
- Other pay-TV providers have already created sports-focused bundles.
YouTube TV will unveil new prices soon. But this time, it will be good news for sports fans.
YouTube is launching a set of cheaper, slimmed-down versions of its popular live TV service in 2026, which it's calling "YouTube TV Plans," the video giant announced on Wednesday. One of the new plans will be a sports bundle that provides access to ESPN Unlimited, FS1, and NBC Sports Network.
While YouTube TV isn't yet revealing pricing for these 10 or so genre-specific packages, they'll cost less than the Google-owned service's typical rate, which is $83 a month.
"Our goal is to let you tailor your subscription with more options," said Christian Oestlien, YouTube's head of subscriptions, in a statement. "Whether you stick with our main YouTube TV plan with 100+ channels, focus on sports, combine sports and news, or select a plan centered on family or entertainment content, subscribers will be able to easily choose the plan that works best for them."
YouTube TV secured the rights to form these so-called "skinny bundles" after hard-fought negotiations with Disney, Comcast's NBC, and Fox. YouTube TV's battle with Disney was especially intense, as it left subscribers without ESPN and ABC for 15 days.
Justin Connolly, YouTube's global head of media and sports, said at a media event on Tuesday night that YouTube worked with its partners on "ingesting the entirety of the sports programming" in its service, so that YouTube TV can be a one-stop shop for sports fans. Besides aggregating live games, Connolly said YouTube is being fan-friendly by aiming to "meet the consumer where they are" on price.
YouTube TV's price has steadily increased since it launched in 2017 at $35, though it's also added more channels. Last December, YouTube TV's monthly price rose by $10.
Other TV providers have launched sports-focused skinny bundles, with some tradeoffs.
Fubo's $55.99 a month Sports + News bundle includes all of ESPN and Fox's channels, plus CBS and the NFL Network, but it doesn't have NBC or Warner Bros. Discovery's networks like TNT or TruTV. It also doesn't have the news networks CNN and MS Now (formerly MSNBC), though it has Fox News.
Sling TV's Orange & Blue bundle goes for $60.99 and has ESPN, Fox with cable sidekick FS1, WBD's channels like TNT and CNN, and the NFL Network. It also carries local channels like NBC and ABC in certain markets. But Sling doesn't have a deal with CBS, plus its main bundle doesn't include specialty sports networks like the SEC Network, the Big Ten Network, or NBA TV. Sling offers a Sports Extra add-on for $15 a month on its main plan, bringing the total to $76.
DirecTV's MySports package costs $69.99 but is more comprehensive, with the full suites of ESPN, Fox, and WBD, plus all four major local broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox (with possible exceptions in certain markets). It also carries the flagship networks for four major US sports: the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.
Sports fans could complement those skinny bundles by buying a digital antenna or by using streaming services like Peacock or Paramount+ that give access to NBC and CBS, respectively.
ESPN also offers a subscription to its entire suite for $29.99 a month, or a bundle with competing streamer Fox One for $39.99 a month.
YouTube said its new sports plan will have ESPN's full suite of programming plus sports channels from Fox and NBC, with the option to add on NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone for more money. Otherwise, it's unclear exactly which channels this bundle will have.
As YouTube TV's sports bundle enters the market, sports fans have more choices than ever. The challenge for them now is finding the right plan.
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