YouTube TV introduces cheaper bundles, including a $65/month sports package

YouTube announced on Monday that it is launching lower-priced YouTube TV plans designed to give subscribers more control over their subscriptions based on interests such as sports, news, and entertainment. The company said it will roll out more than 10 different plans, all priced below the standard $82.99-per-month YouTube TV package, which currently offers access to more than 100 networks. The new plans will begin becoming available this week.

The main YouTube TV plan will continue to be offered. Still, the newly introduced options are designed to let customers focus on the content they care about most while reducing channels they may not need, resulting in lower monthly costs.

Among the new offerings are a Sports plan priced at $64.99 per month, a Sports + News plan at $71.99 per month, an Entertainment plan at $54.99 per month, and a News + Entertainment + Family plan at $69.99 per month, which includes children's programming.

The Sports plan includes all major broadcast networks, along with channels such as FS1, NBC Sports Network, the full ESPN network lineup, and ESPN Unlimited. At $64.99 per month, the plan is $18 less than YouTube TV's base plan.

YouTube TV's news lineup includes channels such as CNBC, Fox News, CNN, MS NOW, and Bloomberg, as well as other national news outlets. When combined with sports programming, the Sports + News package is priced $11 lower per month than the main YouTube TV plan.

The entertainment-only plan costs $28 less per month than the standard package and includes major broadcast networks, as well as channels such as FX, Hallmark, Comedy Central, Bravo, Paramount, Food Network, and HGTV. Families with younger children can add channels such as Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, National Geographic, Cartoon Network, and PBS Kids for an additional cost.

YouTube TV is also offering promotional discounts for new subscribers, which could further reduce the cost of certain plans for the first few months or even the first year. Subscribers will continue to receive features such as unlimited DVR storage, support for up to six household members on a single account, multiview viewing options, and other existing benefits.

Additional add-ons, including NFL Sunday Ticket + RedZone, HBO Max, and 4K Plus, will remain available for purchase, allowing users to further customise their subscriptions.

The company said the full lineup of new plans will be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks.

Customised streaming packages are not a new concept. À la carte-style bundles were central to the early offerings of streaming pioneer Sling TV, for example. This level of personalisation was also one of the reasons streaming was initially seen as a more appealing alternative to traditional pay TV, where viewers often paid for large bundles of channels they did not watch.

However, as streaming services expanded their content libraries—especially with the addition of costly sports programming—prices steadily rose, narrowing the gap between streaming and traditional cable or linear television. While live TV streaming services like YouTube TV continued to offer convenience and some savings compared to cable, affordability became less clear.

These new bundles arrive at a time when consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest point in more than 11 years, driven by concerns about the job market and rising prices, prompting many consumers to be more cautious with their spending.