Braves, Hawks and Atlanta United fans who subscribe to YouTube TV may be able to continue watching those teams’ games on the TV streaming service after all.
YouTube TV, which announced Thursday it would drop Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Southeast and other Fox-branded regional sports networks from customer lineups as of this weekend, has reversed course and now says a “temporary extension” will keep the Fox RSNs available “while we work to reach an agreement.”
Thursday's announcement had drawn much sharp criticism from sports fans on social media.
“Negotiations are still underway!” YouTube said in a tweet on its official account hours before the Fox-branded networks were to be removed from the service Saturday. “In the meantime, we’ve agreed to a temporary extension. Fox RSNs and YES Network are still available on YT TV while we work to reach an agreement. We’ll send out an update as soon as we have more info on a resolution.”
Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Southeast have the exclusive local TV broadcast rights to Braves, Hawks and Atlanta United games.
Sinclair Broadcast Group last year bought 21 Fox-branded regional sports networks from the Walt Disney Co., which earlier acquired them from 21st Century Fox as part of a larger transaction. On Thursday, YouTube TV said it had been "unable to reach an agreement" with Sinclair to continue carrying the Fox RSNs and called the plan to drop them "a reflection of the rising cost of sports content."
In a similar dispute over carriage fees, Dish Network dropped the Fox regional sports networks, including Fox Sports South/Southeast, from its satellite and Sling TV services last summer. The RSNs remain off Dish and Sling. TV streaming service fuboTV also dropped the Fox RSNs last month.
YouTube TV had more than 2 million paid subscribers nationwide as of the end of 2019.
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