Last month it was Fox. This month it’s NBC. YouTube TV and NBCUniversal are in a contract dispute over carriage fees, and the deadline to reach a new deal is the end of the month, Tuesday, Sept. 30. If a contract isn’t reached, NBCUniversal has threatened to pull its programming from the Google-owned YouTube TV streaming service.
With the NFL and college football seasons in full swing and the new NBA season starting in three weeks, sports fans could miss some big games in October, including the NFL’s Sunday Night Football and Notre Dame football on NBC as well as Premiere League soccer on NBC and USA. And then there’s the not-so-small matter of the NBA returning to NBC for the first time in nearly a quarter century. The new NBA season starts on Oct. 21.
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For non-sports programming, the most notable NBC show on the horizon is the premiere of the 51st season of Saturday Night Live this Saturday, Oct. 4.
Google and NBCU dispute
It’s basically the same story each time for one of these disputes. NBCUniversal says Google isn’t willing to pay it enough to carry its channels, and Google says that the rates that NBCUniversal wants will cause a hike in what it charges for YouTube TV, which is currently $83 per month.
On its YouTube TV blog, Google said, “NBCUniversal is asking us to pay more than what they charge consumers for the same content on Peacock, which would mean less flexibility and higher prices for our subscribers.”
Meanwhile, NBCUniversal issued a statement, saying that Google “has refused the best rates and terms in the market, demanding preferential treatment and seeking an unfair advantage over competitors to dominate the video marketplace -- all under the false pretense of fighting for the consumer. The result: YouTube TV customers will lose access to NBCUniversal’s premium programming.”
In last month’s carriage dispute, a deal was reached before any Fox channels were pulled from YouTube TV.
Streaming alternatives
If NBCUniversal pulls its channels, Google will offer YouTube TV subscribers a $10 credit. If that’s not enough to keep you watching YouTube TV through the dispute, you could use that credit to sign up for Peacock for $11 a month to continue watching NBC content.
For NFL fans looking for a substitute, a two-streamer combo for $67 a month will let you watch almost every game the rest of the season. This Fubo Sports-Peacock duo also works well for watching other sports, including college football and the upcoming NBA season (but not the MLB postseason, much of which is broadcast on TBS, which Fubo doesn’t offer).