Are you one of the people who joined money expert Clark Howard in saying “enough is enough” when YouTube TV raised its prices to $83 per month?
If so, know that they’re trying to win you back with some cheaper subscription options.
After years of offering a single standard “base plan” for subscriptions, YouTube TV announced that it’d join competitors like Sling TV and DIRECTV in offering genre-specific packages in 2026.
And though YouTube TV has touted more than 10 subscription options that will offer a potential reprieve from the full price, they’ve been slow to roll them out to the general public.
The first widely available option is the much-anticipated Sports Plan. YouTube TV is using this plan to lure new and former customers back into the fold with a discount offer.
YouTube TV’s Limited-Time Offer Presents Significant Savings
As a former YouTube TV subscriber myself, I was surprised to get a “we want you back” email that actually offered a significant discount.
Usually, I get those automated emails that tell you about what you’re missing since you’ve left, but ask you to sign back up at full price.
Not this time.
To get things kick-started for the new Sports Plan, YouTube TV is making a meaningful offer:
Get the Sports Plan for $54.99 per month for 12 months, then $64.99 per month until you cancel.
This $10 per month savings is worth up to $120 if you keep your Sports Plan subscription for a full year.
Given that a Base Plan subscription is now $83 per month, opting for this intro package represents a $28 per month savings for a more narrowly focused YouTube TV experience. That’s $336 over the course of a year!
Eligibility criteria apply to receive this discount, and unfortunately, that means existing customers aren’t eligible. The offer ends June 30, 2026. You can cancel at any time without further obligation beyond the month you’ve paid to enjoy.
Here’s a copy of the email I received as a former subscriber:
YouTube TV Base Plan vs. Sports Plan: What’s the Difference?
Ok, so new and select returning customers can save a significant amount of money by opting into the Sports Plan instead of the Base Plan.
The good news is that you’ll still enjoy the same user interface and many of the same features (such as unlimited DVR storage) with the Sports Plan, just as you would with the Base Plan.
But what are you giving up in the process?
The short answer: Lots of non-sports channels.
You’ll notice the absence of all “cable news” channels like Fox News and CNN, entertainment channels like HGTV and TLC, and movie channels like Hallmark and Lifetime with this package.
YouTube TV is trimming your access to those channels in exchange for the lower pricing.
In total, a move from Base Plan to Sports Plan means a drop from 168 channels to 55 in my market. But the channels you DO receive will give you a bunch of live sports.
Here’s the rundown of the 55 channels offered on this package at my ZIP code:
You’ll notice there are quite a few duplicate or alternate channels here, so in reality, you’re likely to receive fewer actual viewing options than the number of channels may suggest.
Some of the channels that should be available regardless of ZIP code include:
ACC Network
Big Ten Network
CBS Sports Network
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPNU
ESPNews
FS1
FS2
Golf Channel
NBA TV
NBCSN
NFL Network
SEC Network
TBS
TNT
truTV
USA
Additionally, you should receive your local ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS affiliates in most markets.
Some notable sports channels missing from this package are: MLB Network, NHL Network and ESPN+ access via ESPN Unlimited (DIRECTV includes these and the channels listed above in its MySports package for $69.99 per month).
You’re also not getting access to any RSNs or team-specific streaming subscriptions such as BRAVES.TV.
Are you interested in this new lower-cost subscription option for YouTube TV? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the Clark.com community.
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