Sinclair Carriage Deal Adds Digital Nets, Tennis Channel to YouTube TV Lineup

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Virtual MVPD not carrying Bally regional sports networks

Sinclair pushes 'The Stack'
Sinclair’s ‘The Stack’ digital networks will be carried by YouTube TV. (Image credit: Sinclair)

Sinclair Broadcast Group said it reached a new carriage deal with YouTube TV that adds the broadcaster’s digital broadcast networks and Tennis Channel to YouTube TV’s lineup.

YouTube TV continues to not carry the Bally Sports regional sports networks, owned by Sinclair’s bankrupt Diamond Sports Group subsidiary.

The new YouTube TV agreement also extends the virtual multichannel video programming distributor’s existing carriage of Sinclair’s CBS and MyNetwork TV affiliates. CBS and its affiliates recently reached an agreement covering carriage of virtual multichannel video programming distributors like YouTube TV.

Carriage of Tennis Channel and its T2 free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel starts June 1 in time for the French Open.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

"We are pleased to reach an agreement that brings Tennis Channel, T2 and all three of our emerging networks to YouTube TV, a valued partner of ours,” Sinclair senior VP, head of distribution & network relations Will Bell said.  “As the media landscape continues to evolve, our goal remains the same — to bring our unrivaled content to people wherever they want to experience it. With Roland-Garros kicking off May 28th, the timing is perfect for YouTube TV customers.”

Sinclair’s digital networks are Comet, Charge! and TBD. YouTube already carried Comet and the new deal renews carriage of the sci-fi-focused network. Charge! and TBD are scheduled to launch on YouTube TV June 1.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.