By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former Sony employee and editor of 4 TV magazines.
TV Answer Man, I pay $9.99 a month for 4K on YouTube TV but there’s hardly anything in 4K. Is there any reason to keep this plan going? I’m not seeing it. — Dave, Toledo, Ohio.
Dave, you’re not seeing it — literally and figuratively. YouTube TV charges $9.99 a month for its add-on 4K package (also include unlimited streams at home) but the number of programs and live sporting events in the format has been relatively few for the last month. As noted here last month, there has been only one college football bowl game in 4K and only one regular season NFL game in 4K for the entire 2023 campaign. Basically, you’ve been paying $10 a month for the privilege of watching English Premier League soccer in 4K.
Fox this week will begin offering some 2023-24 college basketball games in 4K but there’s no confirmation that ESPN will do the same this year. Fox has also not said if it will do any NFL playoff games in 4K nor will CBS say if the Super Bowl will be in 4K.
Should You Cancel Your 4K Plan On YouTube TV?
It’s basically an unwise time to pay an extra fee for 4K. That might change in the coming weeks but for now, I would recommend cancelling your 4K package. When you’re paying $72.99 for the base YouTube TV plan, you don’t need to pay another $10 for a few crumbs of 4K.
If the networks change course and start doing more 4K broadcasts, you could always resume the plan then.
Update: YouTube TV has just posted an announcement that the Michigan-Washington game on January 8 will be in 4K. If you’re a college football fan, you could postpone your cancellation until January 9.
Update #2, January 5: In addition to ESPN’s 4K coverage of the Michigan-Washington championship game, Fox just said it will offer an expanded lineup of college basketball games in the format. Plus, there’s new hope that CBS will do the Super Bowl in 4K. So, I’m going to qualify my earlier position and say it might be worth keeping your 4K plan on YouTube TV. There still should be more in 4K, in my humble opinion, but at least the menu is getting bigger this month.
Dave, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
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.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
