Fox Corp. and YouTube TV have agreed on a renewed carriage agreement, ending the threat of a blackout that would have affected a major college football game and potentially the start of the NFL season.
The companies did not release details or offer anything more than a brief statement affirming that the Fox broadcast network, Fox News, plus six other networks and more than two dozen local stations will remain active. YouTube TV, which launched in 2017, is now a leading pay-TV provider, with more than 8 million subscribers.
As the Wednesday afternoon contract deadline approached, Fox and YouTube agreed on a short-term extension to continue negotiating, indicating a resolution was imminent.
Fox will carry a highly anticipated college football matchup on Saturday between Ohio State and Texas, the first time since 2017 that the No. 1 team in the polls has faced No. 3 in Week 1 of the season. The NFL season, which starts next Thursday, often sees its biggest ratings of a given week with Fox’s late-afternoon NFC window.
As the saber-rattling began in recent days, YouTube TV told its customers they would have the option to sign up for Fox’s just-launched subscription streaming outlet Fox One in the event of a blackout. The pay-TV operator was also promising a $10 credit on subscribers’ bills.
More than most of its media rivals, Fox is heavily dependent upon linear carriage, and has secured significant carriage fee increases in recent years despite the ongoing shrinkage of the pay-TV bundle. Historically, the company has been aggressive in seeking fee increases and this time of year it has a strong hand, with Fox News ratings robust and the Fox broadcast network entering its prime season. In addition to college football and the NFL, Fox also has carried Major League Baseball playoffs and the World Series in October for the past two-plus decades and it has remained a strong ratings draw.
The impasse got the attention of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who expressed impatience with it even though his agency does not have jurisdiction in carriage disputes.
“Google removing Fox channels from YouTube TV would be a terrible outcome,” Carr posted on X. “Millions of Americans are relying on YouTube to resolve this dispute so they can keep watching the news and sports they want – including this week’s Big Game: Texas @ Ohio State. Get a deal done Google!”
YouTube responded with its own post on X: “We love football too @brendancarrfcc! We’re working hard to negotiate a deal that’s fair to Fox, our valued subscribers and all of our partners. Stay tuned.”