Youtube TV subscribers no longer have access to Fox Sports Networks from Sinclair

Following the removal of YES Network, FOX Sports West and FOX Sports Prime Ticket back in February, Youtube TV is now dropping Sinclair’s Fox Regional Sports Networks from its channel lineup. Much to the disappointment of subscribers, it looks like this is due to an inability for the two companies to come to an agreement on a contract renewal. The following channels have been entirely removed from Youtube TV as of yesterday, October 1, 2020 and will not return until a deal is worked out:

• FOX Sports Arizona
• FOX Sports Ohio
• Sports Time Ohio
• FOX Sports Detroit
• FOX Sports Wisconsin
• FOX Sports North
• FOX Sports Kansas City
• FOX Sports Midwest
• FOX Sports Indiana
• FOX Sports Tennessee
• FOX Sports Carolinas
• FOX Sports Southeast,
• FOX Sports South
• FOX Sports Florida
• FOX Sports Sun
• FOX Sports New Orleans
• FOX Sports Oklahoma
• FOX Sports Southwest
• FOX Sports San Diego

If you previously had any content in your cloud DVR from any of these channels, you no longer do. You should even have an email regarding this in your inbox. Youtube TV has stated on twitter that all recordings have been removed as a result of their contract with FOX RSN expiring. Based on a direct statement from Sinclair, it sounds like Google is the party that was unhappy with the renewal terms:

“While we are disappointed that YouTube will discontinue carriage of the RSNs, we remain in discussions in an effort to find a mutually acceptable path to returning the RSNs to YouTube TV,” stated Barry Faber, Sinclair’s President Distribution & Network Relations. “We intend to keep the public informed as to the progress of these discussions so that YouTube TV subscribers can make informed decisions regarding how to view the extremely popular programming carried on these RSNs.”

Barry Faber, Sinclair’s President Distribution & Network Relations

Youtube, on the other hand, says that the decision they made was difficult and required a lot of negotiations. We’re willing to bet that Sinclair’s new executive of gamification had something to do with the disagreement as he has been placed in charge of finding opportunities to grow ad revenue for the company and take advantage of sports betting – neither of which really fits into Youtube TV’s business plan for their channel partners.

Sinclair has had a string of bad luck as of late with Sling, Dish Network, Fubo TV all dropping their channels from their respective services. Various sports leagues were also unable to play during the pandemic and Sinclair’s credit rating was also downgraded as a result. Google must periodically negotiate contract renewals with each channel partner, so there’s no guarantee that anything you have saved in the service will remain.