On Thursday evening, September 25, 2025, NBCUniversal (NBCU) began notifying YouTube TV subscribers via email and in-app messages that its networks— including NBC, MSNBC, USA Network, Bravo, CNBC, Telemundo, and others—could be removed from the service if the two companies fail to agree on terms for a new distribution contract.
The current agreement expires on September 30, 2025, just days away, putting millions of subscribers at risk of losing access to key programming like Sunday Night Football, The Voice, Saturday Night Live, NBA games, Big Ten college football, WWE, Premier League soccer, and The Real Housewives franchise.
This marks the latest high-stakes carriage fee battle in the pay-TV industry, where content owners like NBCU demand higher payments from distributors like YouTube TV to offset declining linear TV viewership and rising streaming investments.
The negotiations have stalled over several core issues:
- Carriage Fees: NBCU accuses YouTube TV of seeking "preferential treatment" and "unfair advantage" by demanding rates below what NBCU offers to competitors, aiming to undercut the market and boost its dominance. YouTube TV counters that NBCU's proposed fees exceed what consumers pay for similar content on Peacock (NBCU's streaming service), which recently raised prices in July 2025, potentially leading to higher costs passed on to subscribers.
- Market Power Dynamics: With YouTube TV's subscriber base nearing 10 million (up from 9.4 million in April 2025), executives view it as a "seismic force" in distribution, bolstered by features like NFL Sunday Ticket. However, NBCU sources express skepticism, noting Google's $3 trillion market cap gives it leverage in search and ads, and a blackout could drive viewers to free YouTube content instead.
- Sports and Premium Content: The timing is particularly tense amid football season, with NBCU set to air high-profile games post-deadline, such as Boise State at Notre Dame and Minnesota at Ohio State on October 4. Industry insiders suggest YouTube TV may be willing to risk a prolonged outage to "make an example" of a major partner, signaling its negotiating strength.