Culture

YouTube TV drops all Fox Regional Sports Networks and YES a month before Opening Day

It's a major bummer for Major League Baseball.

MIKE FIALA/AFP/Getty Images

Baseball fans are sure to be disappointed. On Thursday, YouTube TV sent out an email stating that it had dropped all FOX Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) along with YES network. The company claimed that it failed to reach in an agreement with Sinclair for the deal.

Starting February 29, YouTube TV users won’t be able to access content from either FOX RSNs or YES.

What YouTube says — Later on Thursday, YouTube told its subscribers, "We do not take this decision lightly. This is a reflection of the rising cost of sports content. You may have noticed several other TV services have also decided to remove FOX Regional Sports Networks from their lineups.”

"Thank you for your membership," it added, "as we strive to build the best possible streaming experience for you."

Mixed signals abound — It’s not just FOX RSNs or YES that were dropped. On Thursday morning, Chicago Cubs business president Crane Kenney hinted at uncertainty about the Marquee Sports Network going up on YouTube TV. As Bleacher Nation reported, Kenney didn’t specifically explain why the future for the carriage deal was "unknown" but he did note that a deal with YouTube TV was "a different type of negotiation" that was "not so much about Marquee, but more about what they want to do with that type of sports channel."

With YouTube TV’s announcement, it seems like Marquee Sports Network won't go up on the streaming service. At least not right now.

What a let down — MLB fans will be sorely disappointed by this failure of a deal between Sinclair and YouTube TV. With Opening Day set for March 26, many baseball fans will have to figure out how they can watch their games, especially considering the fact that Fox RSNs host matches to at least 14 MLB cities. In the meantime, you can check your local cable providers, depending on where you are. Or give Hulu's services a chance.