YouTube TV is perhaps getting cheaper in 2026, however there is a catch

Within the US, there are a selection of live TV streaming options — comparable to DirecTV, Sling TV, Fubo, and Hulu+ Dwell TV — however YouTube TV stays one of many greatest and hottest. The principle downside for cord-cutters, nonetheless, is worth. The bottom plan begins at $83 monthly, a steep soar from the $35 month-to-month price it launched with in 2017. To make the service extra inexpensive and entice extra customers, Google could lastly introduce adjustments that customers have been ready years for.

YouTube TV is reportedly making ready to launch new, lower-cost TV packages early subsequent yr, in keeping with Cord Cutter News. These lower-cost packages would goal particular audiences, with one of many foremost choices stated to be a sports-focused package deal that includes channels like ESPN, Fox Sports activities, and NBC Sports activities.

Proper now, YouTube TV gives solely a single all-in-one plan with greater than 100 stay channels. The thought behind these new, lower-cost packages, or “skinny TV bundles” as they’re usually referred to as, is to take choose channels from the complete lineup and supply them in smaller, cheaper packages to assist reduce down on the price of stay TV, and supply individuals simply the channels they really wish to watch.

It is necessary to notice that YouTube TV hasn’t made any official announcement about this, and Wire Cutter Information does not reveal its supply. So whereas it is thrilling that YouTube TV may lastly offer some cheaper TV packages quickly, it is price taking this with a grain of salt proper now.

YouTube TV might be taking a web page from DirecTV’s playbook

DirecTV gives Style Packs, which can be just like what YouTube TV may ultimately supply

Credit score: Erik Mclean / Unsplash / Pocket-lint

Moreover a doubtlessly extra inexpensive sports activities package deal coming to YouTube TV subsequent yr, Wire Cutter Information additionally stories that YouTube may supply different cheap choices, comparable to a youngsters package deal with channels like Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, in addition to an “entertainment-focused” package deal that features channels with drama sequence and flicks.

Thus far, all these cheaper, smaller packages that YouTube TV may supply subsequent yr remind me of DirecTV’s Genre Packs. Whereas DirecTV gives a number of large all-in-one packages with plenty of channels, its Style Packs, which it launched earlier this yr, are less expensive and supply only a number of channels aimed toward particular audiences.

For instance, DirecTV’s MyEntertainment pack consists of over 60 information and leisure channels, comparable to A&E, AMC, CNN, HGTV, and FX, for $35 monthly. DirecTV additionally gives a MySports Style Pack, which incorporates over 20 sports-focused channels, together with ESPN, NBC, TNT, CBS Sports activities Community, and native ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations the place accessible, priced at $60 monthly.

It seems like YouTube TV could also be taking a web page immediately from DirecTV’s playbook if it launches lower-cost, genre-based packages subsequent yr — and actually, I am all for it. I do know loads of individuals who have zero curiosity in sports activities and solely need leisure channels, simply as I do know others who solely activate stay TV for sports activities and get every thing else from streaming companies like Netflix, and these new lower-cost TV packages would work nice for them.

In my opinion, extra inexpensive, focused bundles are a better course for stay TV — and a a lot better different to the bloated, all-in-one packages that some streamers supply, the place you find yourself paying for content material you may by no means watch.

YouTube TV hasn’t formally introduced these potential bundles, and Wire Cutter Information did not title its supply, so it is unclear whether or not these cheaper YouTube TV packages may really come subsequent yr. In different information, YouTube TV just lately signed a brand new distribution deal with Disney, so no less than all of the Disney-owned channels will stay on the service for the foreseeable future, together with ESPN.