YouTube TV is notifying users that it has lost the rights to Sinclair-owned channels, including Fox Regional Sports and the YES Network.
Sinclair stations have been steadily disappearing from streaming services over the last couple of years. The now defunct PlayStation Vue lost Sinclair channels in May 2018, only to gain them back five months later. Sling TV lost access in July 2019, and fuboTV lost access on January 1, 2020. With YouTube TV now losing the channels, that leaves AT&T TV Now and Hulu + Live TV as the only two streaming services that still have access to them.
At this point, it’s anyone’s guess if Sinclair-owned channels will return to any of the streaming services that have lost them. As TV streaming continues to grow, at some point Sinclair will hopefully start feeling the loss in viewership and renegotiate new deals.
In the meantime, here’s a copy of the email YouTube TV is sending out:
Hi there,
Our goal with YouTube TV is to offer you the content you love, delivered the way you want.
To make this happen, we need to enter into deals with our partners. Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement with Sinclair to continue to carry the FOX Regional Sports Networks and YES Network.
Starting February 29, 2020, you will no longer be able to watch live, on demand, or recorded content from your local FOX Regional Sports Network or YES Network.
Please know that we do not take this decision lightly. We value your membership and will continue to strive to build the best streaming experience possible.
Sincerely,
The YouTube TV team