YouTube introduced lower-priced YouTube TV plans on Monday, allowing subscribers to better tailor their plans to their interests in areas like sports, news, and entertainment. The company will offer more than ten different plans, all priced below the main $82.99 per month plan that includes over 100 networks. These new plans will start rolling out this week.
While the main plan remains available, the new options let customers choose what matters most to them and omit other content in exchange for cost savings. Among the new plans are a Sports plan for $64.99 per month, a Sports + News plan for $71.99 per month, an Entertainment plan for $54.99 per month, and a News + Entertainment + Family plan for $69.99 per month that includes kids’ content.
The Sports plan includes all major broadcasters plus networks like FS1, NBC Sports Network, all ESPN networks, and ESPN Unlimited. It is $18 cheaper per month than the main plan. The news channels, available in the Sports + News package, include CNBC, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and Bloomberg, among other national news channels. That combined package is priced $11 lower per month than the main plan.
The entertainment-only plan is $28 cheaper per month and includes major broadcasters along with FX, Hallmark, Comedy Central, Bravo, Paramount, Food Network, and HGTV. Families can add channels like Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, National Geographic, Cartoon Network, and PBS Kids for an additional cost.
The company is also offering discounts for new subscribers, which could lower the price of certain plans further for the first few months or the first year. Subscribers will continue to have access to YouTube TV’s unlimited DVR, support for up to six family members on one account, and multiview features. Other add-ons like NFL Sunday Ticket + RedZone, HBO Max, and 4K Plus can also be purchased for further customization.
All the new plans will roll out over the next several weeks. Customized packages are not a new idea in streaming; a la carte options were a key part of early streaming pioneer Sling TV’s initial offering. This personalization was meant to make streaming a better alternative to traditional pay TV, where consumers often paid for unwanted channels.
However, as streamers added more content, networks, and sports programming, the cost of streaming increased to compete with cable and linear television. Live TV streamers like YouTube TV offered convenience and some savings over more expensive cable, but were not exactly affordable anymore.
These new packages arrive at a time when consumer confidence is at its lowest in over eleven years, due to fears about the labor market and higher prices, which have made consumers more cautious about their spending.