Google-backed streaming service YouTube TV is dropping a regional sports channel that will impact fans of the New York Mets baseball team.
In an email to customers on Thursday, YouTube TV said it will remove SportsNet New York (SNY) on June 30 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, which will coincide with the end of YouTube TV’s contract to carry the channel.
“The SNY channel will no longer be available on YouTube TV, and you will no longer be able to watch live content or access content in your [cloud DVR] that you may have recorded from SNY,” the e-mail said.
The move will leave Mets fans without a way to access locally-televised games, which are largely exclusive to SNY. Some national games will continue to be available on ESPN, Fox television and ESPN, YouTube TV said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for SNY said it had been engaged in good faith efforts to negotiate a new contract with YouTube TV, but the service apparently walked away from those discussions.
“We feel an obligation to inform YouTube TV subscribers that they will lose SNY’s leading coverage of the Mets, Jets and all of New York’s professional and collegiate sports teams,” the spokesperson said.
SNY will still be available to stream on a number of other services, including Fubo and DirecTV Stream. Fubo offers streamers a 7-day free trial when they sign up by clicking or tapping here; DirecTV regularly offers discounts on their streaming packages as well.
SNY is majority-owned by Sterling Equities, with Charter Communications and Comcast’s NBC Sports holding a minority stake in the venture.
