Update: YouTube announced just after the 5 p.m. ET deadline Aug. 27 that Google and Fox had reached a short-term extension to avoid service disruption. The length of the extension was not immediately known. Original story follows.
While Alabama vs. Florida State might be the game of most interest in Florida this weekend, the jewel of the first full weekend of the 2025 college football season is No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Ohio State. At least YouTube TV subscribers don’t have to worry about FSU-Alabama being blacked out.
That’s what’s at stake in the latest TV carrier dispute between Fox and YouTube TV. On Monday, Aug. 25, YouTube’s parent company Google announced that if a new contract agreement with Fox couldn’t be reached by 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, Aug. 27, all Fox programming would become unavailable. That includes live channels and saved shows under the Fox News, Business and Sports umbrellas.
For college football fans, that means the Big Ten Network, FS1 and of course local Fox affiliates are on the line ahead of Week 1 of the 2025 season. Arch Manning’s highly anticipated first start for top-ranked Texas against the defending champion Buckeyes is set to kick off at noon on Fox.
The contract dispute does not affect the big games involving Florida teams. No. 10 Miami plays No. 5 Notre Dame in a Sunday night showdown on ABC, which also will air Saturday’s matchup between No. 8 Alabama and FSU. The No. 17 Gators host Long Island University in a game streaming on SEC Network+, while UCF opens on Thursday night vs. Jacksonville State streaming on ESPN Select and Unlimited. All those games appear on Disney-owned ESPN networks.
The dispute would black out Florida Atlantic vs. Maryland on Big Ten Network. If it extends into the start of the NFL season Sept. 7, the season openers for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers would not be covered on YouTube TV.
Here’s what to know about the Fox-YouTube TV dispute:
In a blog post Monday, Aug. 25, Google said Fox is seeking higher payouts for carrying its programs. “Fox is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive,” the post states. “Our priority is to reach a deal that reflects the value of their content and is fair for both sides without passing on additional costs to our subscribers.”
In response, Fox launched a website — KeepFox.com — that states Google “exploits its outsized influence by proposing terms that are out of step with the marketplace.”
Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said in a social media post Aug. 26 that YouTube TV dropping Fox would be “terrible.” An official Google account replied to the post saying: “We love football too, (Brendan Carr)! We’re working hard to negotiate a deal that’s fair to Fox, our valued subscribers and all of our partners.”
Both sides said negotiations are ongoing. Google said it would offer YouTube TV subscribers a $10 credit if they lose access to Fox.
Here’s the list of channels that would not be available to YouTube TV subscribers if an agreement with Fox cannot be reached:
Fox launched its own direct-to-consumer streaming service, Fox One. The service costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year with a seven-day free trial. Fans can also access Fox channels via another streaming service, such as Fubo. Starting Oct. 2, Fox One can also be bundled with the new ESPN app for $39.99 per month.
Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY
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