NBCUniversal and YouTube TV are in a fierce battle over carriage fees — and the deadlock could force popular programs like “Sunday Night Football” and “Saturday Night Live” to go dark for customers next week.
The clock is quickly counting down to an agreement deadline on Tuesday, Sept. 30. If the two sides can’t reach a deal, YouTube TV’s roughly 8 million subscribers could also lose access to top programs like NBA, WWE, “The Voice” and “The Real Housewives.”
NBCUniversal is arguing that YouTube TV, which is owned by Google, is demanding absurdly discounted carriage rates, while the massive pay-TV distributor has claimed the steep carriage fees would force it to hike prices.
“Google, with its $3 trillion market cap, already controls what Americans see online through search and ads — now it wants to control what we watch,” an NBCUniversal spokesperson told The Post.
“YouTube TV has refused the best rates and terms in the market, demanding preferential treatment and seeking an unfair advantage over competitors to dominate the video marketplace — all under the false pretense of fighting for the consumer.”
The company said it will start running messages for YouTube TV subscribers to warn them of the potential content blackout.
“NBCUniversal is asking us to pay more than what they charge consumers for the same content on Peacock, which would mean less flexibility and higher prices for our subscribers,” a YouTube TV spokesperson told The Post.
The TV distributor added that it is “committed to working with NBCUniversal to reach a fair deal” ahead of the deadline early next week.
Should the blackout take place and last “for an extended period of time,” YouTube said it will offer subscribers a $10 credit.
The loss of NBCUniversal programming would put a massive dent in YouTube TV’s offerings.
“Sunday Night Football” is primetime TV’s most-watched program. If the blackout lasts for three weeks, customers would also miss out on the return of the NBA on NBC.