YouTube TV to launch genre-based subscription plans in 2026
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YouTube TV is launching more than 10 genre-specific channel packages in early 2026, the Google-owned company announced on Wednesday. The move will mark the first time YouTube TV breaks up its cable-like channel bundle. The new packages will give consumers more flexibility over the content that they want to pay for. The upcoming lineup of bundles includes one dedicated to sports that will include access to all the major broadcasters, as well as sports networks like FS1, NBC Sports Network, all of the ESPN networks, as well as ESPN Unlimited. Customers will be able to include add-ons like NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone. YouTube notes that users will still get access to popular features like unlimited DVR, multiview, key plays, and fantasy view. Although YouTube didn’t share the full list of upcoming bundles, the company said there will be news, family, and entertainment packages. By adding genre-specific plans, YouTube TV likely hopes to attract users who don’t want to pay the full $82.99 per month price for content when they only want to access specific programming. Additionally, people who are tired of continuous price hikes may be more inclined to stay with the service if they can shave some dollars off of their monthly subscription. YouTube TV currently charges $82.99 per month for its base plans, which include live and on-demand content from major broadcasters and networks. While the upcoming smaller bundles will cost less than YouTube TV’s base plan, the company hasn’t detailed pricing. Techcrunch event Join the Disrupt 2026 Waitlist Add yourself to the Disrupt 2026 waitlist to be first in line when Early Bird tickets drop. Past Disrupts have brought Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, and Vinod Khosla to the stages — part of 250+ industry leaders driving 200+ sessions built to fuel your growth and sharpen your edge. Plus, meet the hundreds of startups innovating across every sector. Join the Disrupt 2026 Waitlist Add yourself to the Disrupt 2026 waitlist to be first in line when Early Bird tickets drop. Past Disrupts have brought Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, and Vinod Khosla to the stages — part of 250+ industry leaders driving 200+ sessions built to fuel your growth and sharpen your edge. Plus, meet the hundreds of startups innovating across every sector. San Francisco | October 13-15, 2026 WAITLIST NOW “TV should be easy, giving viewers greater control over what they want to watch,” said Christian Oestlien, YouTube VP, head of subscriptions, in a blog post. “Our goal is to let you tailor your subscription with more options. Whether you stick with our main YouTube TV plan with 100+ channels, focus on sports, combine sports and news, or select a plan centered on family and entertainment content, subscribers will be able to easily choose the plan that works best for them.” The move comes as TV providers have launched lower-cost streaming packages that focus on specific genres. For example, DirecTV offers “genre packs” for sports, entertainment, news, kids’ content, and more. Plus, Fubo launched a sports package in August. An older player in the space, Sling TV, has long advocated for à la carte bundles, too. Topics Apps, Media & Entertainment, YouTube, YouTube TV Aisha Malik Consumer News Reporter Aisha is a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup. Aisha holds an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University. You can contact or verify outreach from Aisha by emailing aisha@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at aisha_malik.01 on Signal.
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