NBCUniversal’s new deal with YouTube TV brings back NBC Sports Network
The renewed carriage deal signals that streaming’s future may look a lot like cable again.
Streaming was supposed to free you from cable with fewer bundles, cheaper plans, and more control. Now it feels like we have circled back. And that brings us to the latest example of how the old TV model keeps finding its way back.
This week, NBCUniversal and YouTube TV signed a new carriage deal that includes NBC’s full lineup of broadcast and cable networks. It also revives NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), which many thought had disappeared for good. At first glance, it sounds like another renewal. In reality, it says a lot about where streaming is headed.
For now, the companies haven't shared financial details of the deal, but the scope seems pretty broad. YouTube TV subscribers will continue to have access to NBCUniversal’s channels, including NBC, Telemundo, Bravo, USA, CNBC, and Syfy.
Emmanuel Umahi
The surprise, though, is the return of NBCSN, which will rejoin the lineup later this year with a focus on live sports. It's a move that reverses NBC’s earlier strategy of pushing everything behind Peacock’s paywall. Instead, it puts sports back inside a bundle that already has millions of paying viewers.
Peacock is also gaining visibility. Viewers will soon be able to subscribe directly through YouTube’s Primetime Channels, while its presence across Android and Google TV remains secured. NBC’s library of shows and films will also stay accessible across Google’s ecosystem, with short clips and highlights continuing to appear for free on YouTube.
Together, these updates point to a broader strategy. NBCUniversal is still chasing direct subscribers through Peacock, but it is also rebuilding the reach that cable once guaranteed. And it’s not the first time they’ve had to strike this balance.
The two companies faced a similar standoff in 2021 that ended in renewal. This time, the agreement stretches across more surfaces, YouTube TV, regular YouTube, Primetime Channels, and Google TV, a sign that YouTube’s ecosystem is becoming its own modern version of cable.
For both sides, the reason is simple: keeping control of audiences in a streaming market that’s starting to look crowded again.
Why does the deal between NBCUniversal and YouTube TV matter?
NBCUniversal has spent the past few years betting heavily on Peacock. It has invested in sports rights, originals, and live events to build loyalty around its standalone app. Yet reintroducing live sports into a bundle taps into audiences who prefer simplicity over fragmentation.
For YouTube, the benefits are clear. Keeping NBC’s networks reassures subscribers who expect major channels to stay put, while adding Peacock to Primetime Channels strengthens YouTube’s position as an all-in-one streaming hub.
Overall, streaming is starting to look like the system it once tried to replace. Networks are returning, bundles are reappearing, and exclusivity is shifting from platforms to partnerships. For viewers, that means the promise of choice is colliding with the pull of convenience. The question now is not whether streaming killed cable, but whether it simply became it.
Emmanuel Umahi
