Batter Up: Fubo Adds YES Network in Time for Yankees Season Opener

Juan Soto of the New York Yankees
FuboTV added YES Network in time for Juan Soto’s Yankees debut. (Image credit: New York Yankees/Getty Images)

Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reached a multi-year agreement to carry the YES Network, the regional sports network home of the New York Yankees, just in time for opening day.

The agreement comes in time for Fubo to carry the Yankees’ season opener against the Houston Astros on Thursday (game time is 4:10 p.m. ET). The game will be followed by YES’s post-game show.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

“We are excited to reach an agreement with Fubo to bring YES and our best-in-class New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets coverage to Fubo subscribers,” said Jon Litner, CEO, the YES Network. “As interest in the Yankees continues to soar as we approach Opening Day and the team’s pursuit of its 28th World Series championship, Fubo streaming customers will now enjoy YES’s Emmy Award-winning Yankees coverage all season long.”

Fubo said it streams more than 55,000 live sporting events annually, with many streaming in 4K. Its base package includes 35 regional sports networks.

“Fubo is thrilled to bring New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets coverage to fans in the New York City area just in time for the 2024 season,” said Todd Mathers, senior VP, content strategy and acquisition at Fubo. “The addition of the YES Network to Fubo’s robust baseball offering — which is broader than any other streaming platform’s — means Yankees fans won’t miss a single pitch on YES. And, as Fubo is the only streaming platform to offer YES in its base plan, everyone in the family can enjoy the sports, news and entertainment content they love at an attractive price point.”

Fubo added 173,00 subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2023, bringing its total to 1.6 million subs.

The company reduced its fourth-quarter loss to $70.1 million from $141.1 million a year ago. Revenue rose 28% to $410 million.

YES Network, owned by the Yankees' owners and by companies including Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios and Amazon, also has virtual MVPD carriage on DirecTV Stream. 

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.