Google-owned internet television platform YouTube TV has announced the launch of a sports-specific skinny bundle as it measures lower-cost alternatives to its base package.
The YouTube TV Sports Plan, set to launch in early 2026, will bring together the likes of Fox Sports 1, NBC Sports Network, and Disney’s ESPN channels, at a price point below YouTube TV’s $82.99 per month base rate.
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In addition to the base sports package, additional sports offerings such as the NFL’s Sunday Ticket out-of-market viewing option and the NFL Redzone.
This will come as part of a range of over 10 new genre-specific bundles, aimed at helping the 100+ channel offering of YouTube TV maintain the steady growth of its US market share, where it has capitalized on rampant cord-cutting to become one of the most popular TV viewing platforms in the country.
YouTube TV’s pay-TV rivals, such as Comcast and Spectrum, have already launched similar bundles in their efforts to stem the hemorrhaging subscriber numbers, but the fact that YouTube TV’s own customer numbers, close to 10 million across the US, may soon exceed Comcast, could be cause for concern if the skinny bundles prove a success.
Comcast’s NBCUniversal channels were almost removed from YouTube TV earlier this year, but the pair managed to reach an agreement in October, preventing a blackout of Sunday Night Football.
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By GlobalDataThe presence of ESPN channels in the skinny bundle is also a boon for YouTube after the pair’s own carriage dispute back in November, which saw Disney-owned channels go dark on YouTube TV after the two parties failed to agree on terms for a carriage deal renewal by the October 30 deadline.
That blackout left millions without access to live sports content from major broadcasters ESPN and ABC, including coverage of the 2025 NFL and college football seasons, as well as other professional sports, news, and entertainment.
The main dispute between the two companies was the rate Disney wanted to charge YouTube to carry its network, with YouTube claiming Disney was proposing costly terms that would lead to higher prices and fewer choices for its 10 million subscribers.
In the end, the dispute was resolved by November 17 with the agreement of a new multi-year deal that includes unlimited access to ESPN’s new flagship streaming service at no additional cost. Stand-alone subscriptions to the ESPN app are $30 per month.
In August, YouTube also had a standoff with media giant Fox, which nearly saw the Fox News, Fox Sports, and other Fox channels being removed from the service ahead of the college football season.
This illustrates that despite its surging popularity, YouTube TV has ruffled the feathers of the traditional major pay-TV players in the US, and with the value of its new skinny bundles predicated on access to major network sports, avoiding future blackouts is vital.
