Will YouTube TV Carry Chicago Sports Network?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, do you think YouTube TV will carry the Chicago Sports Network this year before the Bulls and Blackhawks start playing? They had NBC Sports Chicago so it seems likely, right? — Jim, Evanston, Illinois.

Jim, Chicago Sports Network, which is owned jointly by the Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, White Sox and Standard Media, is replacing NBC Sports Chicago on October 1, 2024. The RSN (regional sports network) will be the new regional TV home of the three teams.

DIRECTV announced yesterday that it will be the first pay TV operator to commit to carrying the new regional sports network. The news has prompted a few e-mails from Chicago based readers on whether YouTube TV, the leading live streaming service, will also carry Chicago Sports Network. After all, YouTube TV has carried NBC Sports Chicago.

My prediction is that YouTube TV will not add Chicago Sports Network anytime soon, certainly not before the NBA and NHL seasons start and perhaps never. I understand that the live streamer has carried NBC Sports Chicago, but that is a different agreement tied to other channels owned by NBC. YouTube TV has carried it because it’s part of the bigger NBC pact.

But the streamer has not been bullish on RSNs, carrying relatively few and jettisoning some in recent years when their carriage agreements expired. Google, which owns YouTube TV, apparently believes that its exclusive deal to carry the NFL Sunday Ticket is sufficient to attract and keep sports fans. The streamer didn’t even reup MLB Network last year.

Sports channels are the most expensive to carry and YouTube TV, like other streamers, is trying to keep subscriber fees down. However, that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fubo adds Chicago Sports Network in the coming weeks. Like DIRECTV, Fubo has placed a major emphasis on sports.

Jim, 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.