With the beginning of the NFL season looming, it’s additionally a window the place many TV contracts are up for renewal, and on Monday night, YouTube TV and Fox despatched out alerts indicating that their contract might come to an finish as quickly as August twenty seventh, at 5PM ET. Google-owned YouTube TV says that “Fox is asking for funds which are far increased than what companions with comparable content material choices obtain,” whereas Fox claims that “Google is making an attempt to make use of its market energy to stress FOX to comply with unfavorable and one-sided phrases, prioritizing their very own pursuits over a good settlement for its buyer.”
Channels in danger embrace Fox Information, Fox Enterprise, Fox Sports activities, and the Huge Ten Community. However in areas the place Fox additionally owns the native broadcast community, a disruption might additionally value viewers entry to a piece of NFL video games, which is why the contract is up for renewal now. Terrible Asserting factors out that the primary large sport on the slate is a school soccer matchup, Texas vs. Ohio State on Saturday, earlier than week one among NFL video games begins the next weekend.
Apart from navigating the shrinking attain and affect of conventional cable TV, one other complication for a brand new deal could possibly be Fox’s just-launched Fox One direct-to-consumer streaming bundle, which presently contains entry for pay TV subscribers at no further cost to them over their current invoice. It’s unclear how that may have an effect on the negotiations, or outbursts from Trump and different politicians if Fox Information is unavailable to YouTube TV’s subscribers, which analyst MoffettNathanson not too long ago estimated at 9.4 million.
YouTube TV’s announcement says that if they will’t attain a deal, then Fox One is an choice for shoppers, and that it’s going to credit score members $10 “…if Fox content material turns into unavailable for an prolonged time period.”
