Fox-YouTube TV Dispute Could Impact Texas Longhorns' Season Opener

Many fans could lose access to the Texas Longhorns' season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes due to a new feud between network and provider.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) tries to bring down Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) in the third quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Football season is officially upon us, which heralds the return of exciting Saturday afternoons, tailgating before games, and disputes between networks that could cause millions to lose access to their team's games. Everyone's favorite, of course.

Indeed, it's become exceedingly common over the past few years for networks and TV providers to get into feuds just days before the college football season kicks off as a bargaining chip for one side or another. Obviously, it is oh so fun for fans to watch billion-dollar corporations go at each other's throats when they just want to see their favorite teams play.

Unfortunately, it looks like a new dispute could cause trouble for Texas Longhorns fans.

YouTube TV-Fox Dispute Puts Texas Longhorns-Ohio State Buckeyes Game at Risk

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian shake hands following a press conference at AT&T Stadium prior to the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 9, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal, Fox and YouTube TV are at an "impasse" regarding a new deal. If not resolved by 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT) on Wednesday, YouTube TV's 9.4 million subscribers (as of April) will lose access to Fox channels, including Fox Sports, FS1 and the Big Ten Network.

In turn, that puts the Longhorns' highly anticipated season opener against Ohio State, which kicks off at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, at risk.

“It wouldn't be football season with some sort of carriage impasse,” Karp wrote. “Fox and YouTube TV (Google) apparently at an impasse regarding a deal. Fox/FS1/BTN getting dropped would obviously be a big deal for NFL, MLB, college football fans.”

YouTube TV released a statement on the dispute, confirming its determination to reach an agreement with Fox sooner than later (at least that's what they say publicly).

"Our current agreement with Fox is approaching its renewal date and we are in active and ongoing negotiations to continue carrying their content," YouTube TV said in the statement. "Fox is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive. Our priority is to reach a deal that reflects the value of their content and is fair for both sides without passing on additional costs to our subscribers."

If the two sides do not come to an agreement by Wednesday's deadline, they will have less than 72 hours to do so before Texas and Ohio State kick off from Columbus. The game at far greater risk is Friday's matchup between Auburn and Baylor at 7 p.m. CT, just over 48 hours after the deadline.

Hopefully, the two sides will be able to reach an agreement before Fox's channels leave YouTube TV's lineup, but it's ridiculous that this continues to happen year after year.