YouTube deal keeps Cavs, Tribe games on service

An agreement will keep the Indians, Cavs and Blue Jackets games available to YouTube TV subscribers.

YouTube TV and Sinclair Broadcast group have reached an agreement that will keep the Indians, Cavaliers and Blue Jackets games available to YouTube TV subscribers through the rest of the NBA and NHL seasons, plus the entire 2020 baseball season.

The new deal, announced March 5, means 19 of 21 Fox Sports regional sports networks will remain available on YouTube TV. Their previous agreement expired Feb. 28, but the sides agreed to an extension after the expiration date so negotiations could continue.

The agreement means Indians games televised on SportsTime Ohio plus Cavs and Blue Jackets games on Fox Sports Ohio will continue uninterrupted through at least the end of September.

“We are pleased that YouTube TV was able to agree to terms on 19 of our RSNs and that they will continue to provide subscribers with access to some of the most indemand sports networks in the nation,” David Gibber, senior VP and general counsel of Sinclair, said in a statement. “We value our ongoing relationship with YouTube TV. However, we are deeply disappointed with its decision to not carry certain RSNs. We offered competitive market terms but, ultimately, YouTube TV declined.”

YouTube TV dropped Fox Sports Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West, which carry games played by the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Kings, the Angels and Anaheim Ducks as of March 5.

YouTube TV also decided to stop carrying games on YES Network, which televises games played by the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets and New York City FC in Major League Soccer.

“YouTube TV, for its own selfish reasons and with total disregard for its YES customers, has refused to pay the market rate and accept market terms and conditions that other YES distributors have agreed to,” YES Network said in a statement. “In fact, YouTube TV sought a rate that was well below what other YES distributors are paying, and because YES keeps its word to all of its distributors, it could not make the deal.”

YouTube TV confirmed the new deal in a statement and acknowledged it will no longer carry certain affiliates.

“(YouTube TV) will continue carrying the Fox RSNs in select areas only,” the statement read. “Affected members who no longer have access to this content will receive a notification in the YouTube TV app soon. We don’t take this decision lightly, and will continue to do our best to make YouTube TV a best-in-class experience.”

Sports fans across the country can breathe easier. The new contract means YouTube TV will continue to carry games on Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Carolinas, Fox Sports Detroit, Fox Sports Florida, Fox Sports Indiana, Fox Sports Kansas City, Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports New Orleans, Fox Sports North, Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Prime Ticket (L.A.), Fox Sports San Diego, Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Southeast, Fox Sports Southwest, Fox Sports Sun, Fox Sports Tennessee, and Fox Sports Wisconsin as well as Fox Sports Ohio and SportsTime Ohio.

Terms of the agreement were not revealed.