Survey: Demand For Cheaper YouTube TV Bundles

A fresh round of reader polling has delivered a consensus message from cord-cutters: They’re all in for smaller, less-expensive YouTube TV bundles as the service gears up its next iteration. The results revolve around wanting more control over what viewers pay for, as well as a greater preference among those surveyed for niche packages that strip away channels people don’t often watch.

What viewers say they want from future YouTube TV bundles

In a poll of more than 1,000 respondents, 51 percent indicated they would rather use some sort of slimmed-down YouTube TV plan over the current one-size-fits-all plan. A mere 5.7 percent preferred keeping the current strategy. 32.2 percent said they would consider subscribing, provided the new bundles are priced favorably, highlighting how price elasticity is still central to uptake. And 11.2 percent said their interest depends on a sports-only menu.

The three bundles that people name most often are a sports tier, a kids-and-family tier, and a movies-focused tier. That reflects industry scuttlebutt that YouTube TV is mulling slimmer, themed bundles that allow viewers to cobble together a roster without having to pay for dozens of channels they never tune in to.

Price pressure builds as subscribers seek lower YouTube TV costs

Price is at the heart of this discussion. The equivalent base YouTube TV plan, as it stands now, is a much-reported $70-ish, climbing as carriage fees continue to increase across the industry. For households trying to manage multiple streaming apps, it’s a hard line item to justify if all they absolutely need are sports or specific networks.

Industry data backs the tension. Antenna finds churn is higher across all subscription video in the past year as customers trade services in and out of their mix. Leichtman Research Group has also tracked ongoing migration away from traditional pay TV to things like YouTube TV virtual MVPDs, but again with price sensitivity informing those decisions.

Sports-only options top wish lists among YouTube TV users

The 11.2 percent who would only care if a sports-only tier existed are perhaps the most telling cohort. Live sports are the anchor for many households, and they’re also the most expensive programming to carry. The purchase of NFL Sunday Ticket by YouTube TV has turned the platform into a sports city, but it also sets expectations around future options for paying to beam in sports without having to buy an entire entertainment bundle.

Nielsen’s The Gauge has repeatedly demonstrated that live sports account for the majority of broadcast viewing minutes today and also cause spikes in connected TV usage. A sports-focused plan, despite dynamic pricing around major events, might appease fans while preserving the economics via targeted ads and limited-time passes.

Why less can be more in bundle packages for YouTube TV viewers

Skinny bundles can also be about more than just a price cut; they’re a shrewd form of segmentation. Tiered packages widen the funnel with lower-cost entry points, and premium add-ons and event-triggered upsells guard against average revenue per user. With Google publicly acknowledging that YouTube TV has more than 8 million paying subscribers, the next growth curve almost certainly awaits anyone who can tempt wafflers balking at all-in pricing but willing to pay for only what they watch.

There’s also an ad-tech angle. More granular packages expose more rich audience signals, which translates to better ad targeting and stronger yields. A kids tier might deliver brand-safe environments, a film-and-premium advertised media tier could bundle free trials to services like Starz or Max, generating cross-promotional economics without burdening everyone with everything.

What themed bundles could mean for everyday YouTube TV users

If YouTube TV does go to theme-based bundles, there are likely to be trade-offs.

Some regional sports networks or niche channels can reside outside of less expensive tiers. You could also set the Cloud DVR caps and how many streams can be viewed at once per package. On the other hand, interfaces would be better if profiles were curated to a certain level, so they’d only show me channels I have access to with my plan preference — and make it easier for me to discover more. I don’t want the grid clutter.

Bottom line: demand grows for cheaper, smaller YouTube TV bundles

Let the poll results speak louder than words: Viewers demand control, want value and want to pay only for what they watch. Strong support for smaller bundles, high sensitivity to price and significant demand for a sports-only tier put YouTube TV on a sure-footed path. Whether the service steers in that direction will help decide whether wary households take another look — or continue shopping around in an ever-more swollen streaming market.