Sports Streaming Is a Fragmented Hot Mess
Watching sports online has never been easier, but for die-hard fans wanting to follow every game, the experience is becoming more complicated. The recent blackout of Monday Night Football on YouTube TV highlights this growing issue.
JJ Watt Voices Frustration Over Blackouts
Former NFL star JJ Watt, who spent nearly a decade with the Houston Texans, expressed his frustration on X (formerly Twitter). He declared his readiness to give up on watching Monday Night Football due to ongoing streaming conflicts.
“Just frustrating. All of it.”
Disney vs. YouTube TV Carriage Dispute
The blackout is a result of a carriage dispute between Disney and YouTube TV that began on October 30th. ESPN and several other Disney-owned channels went dark on YouTube TV after the two companies failed to agree on the fees YouTube must pay to carry Disney's networks.
Both sides consider the other’s financial demands unreasonable, leaving about 10 million YouTube TV subscribers unable to watch Monday Night Football this week.
Fans Seek Alternatives, Watt Refuses
Some dedicated fans responded by signing up for free trials of services like Hulu Live or FuboTV to catch the games. However, Watt is not interested in juggling multiple subscriptions.
“I’m not paying for another streaming subscription,” he said.
Newsletter Context
This summary comes from Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter focused on the intersection of technology and entertainment, syndicated weekly for The Verge subscribers.
Author’s Summary
Sports streaming offers more content but is hindered by disputes that frustrate dedicated fans and complicate access to live games.
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