YouTube TV has removed YouTube’s MLB Game of the Week from its 4K lineup without explanation.
The live streaming service announced earlier this week on its app that it would stream YouTube’s exclusive MLB Game of the Week broadcasts in 4K, starting with today’s game (May 5) between the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies at 3 p.m. ET.
However, early this morning, YouTube TV removed today’s game and future YouTube MLB contests from its list of upcoming 4K events. The streamer did not post an explanation for the change and YouTube TV’s press department has not responded to our inquiries before or after the switch.
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The TV Answer Man has also asked MLB for a comment and will report back here if either the league or YouTube responds. (The MLB-owned MLB Network is producing the games for YouTube.)
Major League Baseball last month renewed its contract with YouTube to allow the streamer to offer 15 regular season games this season. The games, which will be free, will be exclusive to YouTube, meaning they won’t be available on any other service including MLB Extra Innings, MLB.TV or the teams’ regional sports channels.
On Monday, YouTube TV posted a notice on its app that 4K subscribers would be able to click on a link that will take them to a 4K version of the Game of the Week on YouTube. YouTube TV has a 4K add-on plan which costs $20 a month in addition to its base package of $64.99.
YouTube TV said earlier in the week that today’s Nationals-Rockies game would be in 4K.
It was unclear then if non-YouTube TV subscribers would have access to the 4K feed as well, but it appears now that no one will get the game in the format.
Update: Following our report, The Streamable web site tweeted that YouTube TV and MLB Network are still working on a 4K broadcast and hope to have one ready later in the season. That could be good news for Apple TV+ fans, too. MLB Network also produces Apple’s Friday night doubleheader games.
Update #2: A Google spokeswoman confirmed to the TV Answer Man that YouTube TV is still testing the 4K feed. “We’ve been testing 4K in the hopes of making it available by today’s Game of the Week, Nationals vs. Rockies. But from our tests, we decided the experience was not ready for our users. We’ll continue our tests and plan to make the Game of the Week matches available in 4K for YouTube TV users with the 4K Plus add-on soon.”
Asked if regular YouTube users will be able to watch the 4K feed when it’s ready, the spokeswoman said the company is “running tests for 4K with YouTube users with the hope of making it available to more users soon.”
Here are some more games scheduled on YouTube following today’s Nationals-Rockies game on May 5:
Brewers-Reds, May 11, 12:35 p.m. ET
Diamondbacks-Cubs, May 20, 2:20 p.m. ET
Tigers-Twins, May 25, 1:10 p.m. ET
Royals-Guardians, June 1, 1:10 p.m. ET
Blue Jays-Royals, June 8, 2:10 p.m. ET
Twins-Mariners, June 15, 4:10 p.m. ET
YouTube and MLB will announce the remaining games later in the season.
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
