Yesterday, YouTube TV posted that they couldn't come to an agreement with Paramount, and as of Feb. 13, they would no longer be able to carry any of their channels. This is a big deal as March Madness is around the corner, and CBS is the primary carrier of the over-the-air broadcast side of the NCAA Tournament. It's also terrible timing for Wisconsin's biggest game of the year. They will be taking on a top-10 Purdue team, and this will be the highest NET-ranked team they have faced all year.
UPDATE: YoutubeTV and Paramount reached a last minute agreement on Friday, Feb. 14.
I left Spectrum because of their ongoing disputes, in particular one with ABC/ESPN. I'm leaving YouTube TV if I can't watch the Purdue vs. Wisconsin basketball game Saturday on CBS. Do your job. Fix the problem.
— Gregg Butler-Gant (@greggtravels) February 13, 2025
Without resolution, YouTubeTV will not be airing Wisconsin vs. Purdue on Saturday
If Paramount and YouTube TV cannot come to an agreement by Saturday, which appears unlikely, subscribers to the service will not be able to watch the Wisconsin Badgers take on the Purdue Boilermakers. The timing couldn't be worse for UW fans who subscribe to YouTube.
On February 12, YouTube posted about this dispute:
"After February 13, 2025, all Paramount content, including CBS and CBS Sports, will be unavailable on YouTube TV. We're still actively negotiating with Paramount and will keep you updated on our progress. If we can't reach an agreement and their content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we'll offer subscribers an $8 credit. You can still watch Paramount shows and movies by signing up for their streaming service, Paramount+, starting at $7.99 a month."YouTube TV
If you have cable TV or one of the many other streaming services, your access to the game and March Madness should go unaffected. This only applies to fans that are watching games on YouTube TV. Also, with it being a CBS broadcast game, you theoretically could go back to an over-the-air style. What's that you ask? Bunny ears or the modern versions of them. However, this will only work in certain areas of the world.
UPDATE: YoutubeTV and Paramount reached a last minute agreement on Friday, Feb. 14.
For now, YouTube TV subscribers can hope they figured it out soon, preferably before Saturday when Wisconsin plays its biggest game of the season against Purdue.