YouTube TV Integration Delays Lock Subscribers Out of WWE WrestleMania
YouTube TV subscribers will not gain authentication access for ESPN's Unlimited tier in time for WWE's WrestleMania 42 due to ongoing technical integration issues. According to a Sports Business Journal report, the delays are on Google's end and prevent subscribers from accessing content that is part of their carriage agreement with Disney. Access is now anticipated to be available by WWE's SummerSlam in August.
Key Takeaways
- Subscribers will miss WrestleMania 42 on ESPN Unlimited this weekend, content that is part of their carriage agreement with Disney.
- The delay is attributed to technical issues on Google's end; ESPN reportedly completed its necessary work in January.
- To watch the event, affected YouTube TV subscribers must pay an additional $30 for a month of ESPN Unlimited.
- The revised timeline targets authentication to be live by WWE's SummerSlam on August 1-2.
- Comcast, another distributor, recently resolved a similar five-month delay for its own ESPN authentication.
Why It Matters
The delay highlights the operational friction in executing complex carriage deals, even after financial terms are settled. For YouTube TV, it creates a negative user experience by forcing subscribers to pay extra for content they are already entitled to. This problem isn't unique to Google; Comcast faced a similar five-month authentication lag with ESPN, showing that integrating new services is a recurring technical hurdle for both vMVPDs and traditional distributors. The key signal to watch is whether Google meets the revised August target for SummerSlam, as another miss would indicate deeper integration challenges.
Read full article at msn.com
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