Streaming news roundup: a World Cup-week YouTube TV deal, a DIRECTV price hike, and the RSN that left local fans hunting

YouTube TV cut its price ahead of the World Cup, DIRECTV is raising rates on June 25, and millions of NBA and NHL fans — including Blues fans in St. Louis — still don't know where they'll watch their team this fall.

The gist: Three things worth knowing as the World Cup kicks off: YouTube TV cut its new-subscriber price through the end of June (handy if you want FOX, FS1, and Telemundo in one place), DIRECTV is raising prices on June 25, and the collapse of FanDuel Sports Network this spring has left a long list of NBA and NHL teams — the St. Louis Blues among them — without a confirmed local TV home for next season.

National

YouTube TV is cheaper right now — a useful on-ramp for World Cup cord-cutters. The base ("Main") plan is $82.99/month, but new subscribers can get it for $67.99/month for the first three months through June 30, 2026, and there's a genre Sports plan at $54.99/month for the first year (then $64.99). New-customer free trials run up to 21 days. Why it matters for fans this week: YouTube TV carries FOX, FS1, Telemundo, and Universo, so a free trial or the promo covers the full World Cup in both languages — though for soccer alone, FOX One ($19.99/month) is cheaper. (YouTube TV; TechTimes, June 11, 2026.)

DIRECTV is raising prices on June 25. DIRECTV is increasing rates across many satellite and DIRECTV Stream packages by as much as $8/month, with the Sports Only and News plans going up about $5/month — roughly $60 more a year. If you keep DIRECTV specifically for regional sports networks, expect a higher bill on or after that date. (Cord Cutters News, late May 2026.)

Around the Markets — the RSN shake-up isn't over

FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports) went dark in mid-April 2026, after its parent company failed to find a buyer. The fallout is still landing, and it's the biggest local-viewing story of the year:

• Baseball already moved. All nine MLB teams that had been on FanDuel left for the 2026 season — most onto MLB-run broadcasts, with Atlanta launching its own BravesVision.
• Basketball and hockey are the open question. Roughly 13 NBA teams and a handful of NHL teams lost their local TV home and need new arrangements for the 2026-27 season (which tips off in October). The leagues are handling it differently: the NHL is letting teams cut their own local deals, while the NBA is nudging teams toward short, one-year deals as it works toward a centralized local-streaming platform down the road. A few have landed — Detroit's Red Wings and Tigers moved under a shared "Detroit SportsNet," and the LA Kings stabilized under a network the Angels acquired — but many haven't.

St. Louis angle: the Blues' longtime home, FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (formerly Bally Sports Midwest), is gone. As of this spring's reporting, the Blues had not announced where their games will air in 2026-27 — a decision is expected before the season. The practical takeaway for local fans: don't assume the old channel, and don't lock into a cable or streaming plan this summer expecting to find the Blues there until the new home is confirmed. (The Desk, April 6; STLPR, April 7; Fox2Now, April 14, 2026.)

If you follow any NBA or NHL team that was on FanDuel/Bally, the same advice applies — check your team's confirmed 2026-27 broadcast home before you commit to anything.

Not sure what any of this changes for your team and your setup? StreamCaddy maps the cheapest correct way to watch your teams for your exact ZIP and the subscriptions you already have — and updates as these broadcast homes get sorted out.

Sources

1. TechTimes — "YouTube TV Drops Base Plan Price Through June 30," June 11, 2026 — https://www.techtimes.com/articles/318236/20260611/youtube-tv-drops-base-plan-price-through-june-30-cable-still-costs-30-more-monthly.htm
2. Cord Cutters News — "Another DIRECTV Price Hike is Coming Next Month," late May 2026 — https://cordcuttersnews.com/another-directv-price-hike-is-coming-next-month/
3. Sporting Goods Intelligence — "FanDuel Sports Network to wind down," April 14, 2026 — https://www.sgieurope.com/corporate/fanduel-sports-network-to-wind-down/120476.article
4. The Desk — "Main Street Sports to pull plug on FanDuel Sports Network," April 6, 2026 — https://thedesk.net/2026/04/main-street-sports-to-pull-plug-on-fanduel-sports-network/
5. St. Louis Public Radio (STLPR) — "St. Louis Blues games will be on a new TV channel next season," April 7, 2026 — https://www.stlpr.org/news-briefs/2026-04-06/blues-seek-new-television-home-main-street-sports-group-shuts-down
6. Fox2Now — "St. Louis Blues preparing for new TV home next season," April 14, 2026 — https://fox2now.com/sports/st-louis-blues/st-louis-blues-preparing-for-new-tv-home-next-season/