Sports Plus is a premium add-ons that can be bundled with the YouTube TV base plan to increase the selection of sports channels and content that a home has access to. As this is an add-on, it does cost extra each month which may not make it an option for every household. To help make the decision, here’s a closer look at what you get with Sports Plus and how much it costs.
A standard YouTube TV subscription costs $64.99 per month and unlocks access to more than 100 channels. In general, the base plan is already a good option for sports fans as the channel lineup comes loaded with a number of sports-focused channels including ESPN, Fox Sports, MLB Network, and NBA TV, among others. However, for those that do want access to even more sports, there’s Sports Plus.
The Sports Plus add-on costs an additional $10.99 per month on top of the price of the base plan and unlocks access to more than 10 additional sports-related channels. For any subscribers signing up to Sports Plus for the first time, YouTube TV currently offers a 7-day free trial. This is different to the standard YouTube TV free trial available to new subscribers. In other words, all existing subscribers are able to get 7 days of Sports Plus for free and before having to make the first payment.
As is the case with YouTube TV, the exact selection of channels included with Sports Plus could change at any time. At present, the premium add-on unlocks access to a total of 19 sports-related channels. However, this include four Stadium and two beIN SPORTS channels, resulting in a total of 14 different sports channels.
Channels included with Sports Plus:
- beIN SPORTS / beIN SPORTS XTRA
- Billiard TV
- Fox Soccer Plus
- MAVTV Motorsports Network
- NFL RedZone
- Outside TV+
- PlayersTV
- PokerGO+
- SportsGrid
- Stadium
- FanDuel TV
- VSiN
- Fight Network
- Impact Wrestling
What is probably the most notable here, is the inclusion of NFL RedZone. For those YouTube TV subscribers that specifically want access to NFL RedZone, Sports Plus is currently the only way to add the channel. The good news is that Sports Plus unlocks access to more than just the premium NFL channel.
How much Sports Plus costs
Regardless of whether adding to an existing or new subscription, the monthly cost of Sports Plus is $10.99 per month. As a result, and following any free trial period, the cost of a YouTube TV subscription including Sports Plus comes to $75.98 per month. This is a recurring charge so the subscriber will continue to be billed $75.98 each month unless they cancel the YouTube TV subscription in general, or remove the Sports Plus add-on from their live TV package.
What Sports Plus does not offer, however, is the ability to watch in 4K. For any sports fans that do want to watch live sports in 4K, the 4K Plus add-on is also required. This separate subscription costs an additional $14.99 per month on top of the base plan, and on top of Sports Plus if added. If bundling 4K Plus with the base plan and Sports Plus, YouTube TV subscribers will be paying around $90.97 per month.
| YouTube TV plan | Cost p/m |
|---|---|
| Base | $64.99 |
| Base + Sports Plus | $75.98 |
| Base + Sports Plus + 4K Plus | $90.97 |
It is worth noting that YouTube TV tends to offer a discount on 4K Plus to those that have never signed up to the add-on before. The discount typically reduces the cost of the add-on down to either $9.99 or $11.99 per month for the first 12 months. After which, it will automatically be billed at the higher rate.
For those wanting to save on the cost of Sports Plus over the course of a full year, YouTube TV does also offer a one-year prepay option. This Sports Plus annual plan currently costs $79.99 per year, which breaks down to around $6.66 per month on average. At this price, Sports Plus is almost $5 per month cheaper than paying monthly. Naturally, paying for the annual plan is only worth it if the subscriber knows they will want access to the additional sports channels for a full 12 months.
For example, if you are only interested in adding Sports Plus for the NFL season then it might be better and cheaper to sign up on a monthly basis and then cancel again once the NFL season comes to an end. At the usual $10.99 monthly price, it would take more than 7 months to spend the $79.99 YouTube TV currently charges for the annual plan.
Also of note, not only is the one-year prepay non-refundable, but it also actually renews at the monthly rate unless canceled. In addition, there is no 7-day free trial offered to those signing up to the annual Sports Plus subscription.
Adding Sports Plus to YouTube TV
Providing a home is already signed up to the YouTube TV base plan then adding Sports Plus is not any different to adding any of the other add-ons available with the live TV streaming service. In general, one of the easiest ways to add the premium add-on is through the website.
How to add Sports Plus
- Visit YouTube TV
- Click on the profile icon (top right corner)
- Click on Settings
- Check the box next to Sports Plus (under Membership)
- Check Monthly or One year prepay box
The subscriber will then need to confirm the change and the cost. After which, they will immediately gain access to all of the additional sports channels.
Removing the add-on works the same way as adding it to begin with. Simply navigate to the same Membership section of the settings and uncheck the box next to Sports Plus before confirming the change to the subscription.
Depending on the device, it may also possible to add Sports Plus from within the app. Using Android TV (Google TV) as an example, Sports Plus can be added by following these instructions.
- Open YouTube TV app
- Click on the add-on icon ($)
- Click on Sports Plus
- Choose monthly or annual
- Confirm the change
For those new to YouTube TV and planning to sign up as a new subscriber, it is also possible to add Sports Plus while signing up. Simply check the box next to Sports Plus on the Add to your plan page after selecting a base plan and before checking out.
YouTube TV’s Sports Plus summary
YouTube TV’s Sports Plus adds up to 19 additional sports channels to the base plan, including NFL RedZone, providing sports fans with greater access to live sports and additional content. The monthly cost of Sports Plus is $10.99 per month on top of the base plan, bringing the total cost of both to $75.98. If also wanting to watch live sports in 4K, the separate 4K Plus add-on costs an additional $14.99 per month, taking the total above $90 per month, excluding nay promotions or first-time discounts. Speaking of which, YouTube TV offers a 7-day free trial to those that have never signed up to Sports Plus in the past.
If sure that Sports Plus is going to be of value for an entire 12 months then it may be worth considering signing up to the one-year prepay option. This costs $79.99 for the first year, reducing the average price of each month down to just $6.66. This option doesn’t come with a free trial, and automatically renews at the monthly rate unless canceled.
Leave a Reply