Fubo NBC Blackout 2025: How to Watch Sunday Night Football, Figure Skating, and More

It's been almost two months since Fubo stopped carrying NBCUniversal-owned channels, and the silence from both sides is deafening. If you're a Fubo subscriber who loves Sunday Night Football, you're basically staring at a black screen when game time rolls around. The same goes for Real Housewives marathons, Premier League matches, and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Here's the thing: this isn't a typical contract disagreement. This is a standoff that's affecting millions of cord-cutters who thought they had all their entertainment bases covered. Since November 21, 2025, channels like NBC, Bravo, USA Network, Telemundo, and E! have vanished from Fubo's lineup. Both companies are still negotiating, but there's no end in sight.

The good news? You've got options. Real options. Not just "buy cable again" options. Whether you're willing to switch services entirely or you just want temporary workarounds, I'm going to walk you through exactly what's available, what it costs, and which solution makes sense for your specific situation.

This guide covers everything you need to know about the blackout, which channels are affected, and seven legitimate ways to keep watching the content you're paying for. Let's dig in.

TL; DR

• NBC channels missing since November 21, 2025: NBC, Bravo, USA Network, Telemundo, E!, MSNBC, and regional sports networks
• Sunday Night Football alternative: Stream on Peacock (
  $11/month), Hulu + Live TV ($
  82.99/month), or DirecTV
• Best budget option: Peacock Premium at
  $11/month with Walmart+ bundle for$
  12.99/month
• Fubo compensation: Subscribers received
  $15 credits; some plans reduced by$
  4-$12/month
• Timeline: No return date announced; negotiations ongoing for 8+ weeks

Estimated data suggests a high probability of resolution by mid-January, with a critical pressure point around the Olympics in February.

What Exactly is the Fubo-NBC Dispute?

Understanding this blackout requires knowing what actually happened. Fubo and NBCUniversal had a long-standing content distribution agreement that covered how channels would be transmitted to Fubo subscribers. At its core, these agreements outline licensing fees, streaming rights, and technical requirements.

Sometime before November 21, the two companies hit an impasse on one or more aspects of this agreement. Neither side has publicly disclosed the exact sticking points, but these disputes typically revolve around three issues: licensing fees, exclusive streaming rights, or content package requirements.

Licensing fees are usually the culprit. Fubo likely argues that NBCUniversal is demanding too much money for their content, especially considering the rise of Peacock (NBCUniversal's own streaming service). NBCUniversal probably counters that their content drives significant subscriber value and they need premium licensing fees to remain competitive.

What makes this dispute unusual is the duration. Two months with no resolution suggests the gap between the two sides' positions is massive, not a simple "let's split the difference" negotiation. Both companies have dug in, likely banking on public pressure to force the other side's hand.

Fubo's response has been calculated. They issued

What's interesting is that Fubo didn't capitulate. They didn't pay whatever NBCUniversal wanted. This tells you that either Fubo's financial position doesn't allow for major fee increases, or they're genuinely willing to lose subscribers rather than accept unfavorable terms.

Which NBC-Owned Channels Are Actually Missing?

The blackout isn't just NBC itself. NBCUniversal owns a sprawling media empire, and most of it has disappeared from Fubo. Here's the complete list of missing channels:

National Channels:

• NBC (the main broadcast network)
• Bravo (reality TV, Real Housewives)
• USA Network (wrestling, action shows)
• CNBC (business news)
• MSNBC (political news)
• E! Entertainment Television (celebrity news, red carpets)
• Telemundo (Spanish-language programming)
• Telemundo-affiliated channels

Regional Sports Networks:

• NBC Sports Bay Area Plus
• NBC Sports California (multiple versions)
• NBC Sports Philadelphia
• NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
• Other regional NBC Sports properties

Specialty Channels and Vaults:

• Oxygen True Crime Archives
• Million Dollar Listing Vault
• Real Housewives Vault
• Noticias Telemundo Ahora
• New England Cable News
• MS NOW (formerly MSNBC)

The regional sports networks are particularly brutal for West Coast viewers. If you live in California or Philadelphia and want to watch local teams, you're completely locked out. This is actually one reason Fubo subscribers might be most frustrated—local sports often can't be streamed legally anywhere else.

The scope of this blackout is genuinely massive. We're talking about 25+ channels spanning sports, news, entertainment, and international content. That's a significant chunk of Fubo's content library disappearing at once.

Licensing fees are estimated to be the primary sticking point in the Fubo-NBC dispute, accounting for 70% of the disagreement, followed by streaming rights and content package requirements. Estimated data.

How the 2026 Dispute Compares to Previous Streaming Conflicts

Streaming disputes aren't new. The industry has seen plenty of them. What's different about this one?

The 2023 DTC Shift: In 2023, many media companies were trying to push viewers toward their own streaming services. NBCUniversal (through Peacock) and Disney (through Disney+) wanted to reduce their licensing to third-party platforms. This Fubo dispute feels like it might be part of that broader strategy.

Cord-Cutting Acceleration: Five years ago, streaming disputes felt like growing pains. Now they feel like existential threats. Fubo needs NBC content to compete; NBCUniversal needs viewers to justify their streaming strategy. The leverage dynamics are completely different.

The Negotiation Timeline: Most disputes resolve within weeks. Two months suggests both sides believe they can win a war of attrition. Fubo's loss of subscribers will hurt, but losing licensing terms to Peacock could hurt NBCUniversal's streaming strategy even more.

This particular dispute tells us something important about the streaming landscape: it's increasingly fragmented. You can't get everything from one service anymore. You need a combination of subscriptions, and when one pulls out, it breaks the entire bundle.

Sunday Night Football 2025-2026: Your Alternative Viewing Options

Let's talk about the biggest casualty here: Sunday Night Football. This week's playoff game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots airs at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC. It's one of the most-watched sporting events of the season. If you've been watching via Fubo, you need to know your alternatives.

Option 1: Peacock Streaming

Peacock is actually a solid solution for Sunday Night Football. Here's what you get:

Ad-Supported Peacock Premium ($11/month): You can stream live NBC sports, including every Sunday Night Football game this season. The interface isn't the most intuitive, but it works. You also get thousands of hours of NBC shows, Bravo content (all the Real Housewives shows), and classics like The Office and Parks and Recreation.

The ad interruptions are minor—maybe 2-3 minutes per hour compared to traditional TV's 18 minutes. For $11/month, it's nearly half the cost of Fubo's mid-tier plans.

Ad-Free Peacock Premium Plus ($17/month): Same content, no ads, plus you get access to your local NBC affiliate even when sports aren't airing. This is more valuable if you want to watch regular NBC programming throughout the week.

Option 2: Peacock + Walmart+ Bundle

Here's where it gets clever. **Walmart+ costs

For $12.99/month, you're getting:

• Peacock Premium (which includes Sunday Night Football)
• Five free months of Apple Music
• Discounts on Cinemark movie tickets
• Free shipping on Walmart purchases
• Gas discounts at Walmart fuel stations
• Early access to Walmart deals

If you ever buy groceries or gas, the Walmart+ membership basically pays for itself. You're getting Peacock as a freebie. This is probably the best deal on this list for mainstream viewers.

Option 3: Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99/month and includes live NBC broadcasts from your local affiliate. This is basically like having cable—you get a live TV guide and can watch channels as they air.

The downside: it's expensive and overkill if you only care about NBC content. The upside: you get 90+ channels of live TV, so if you're also missing other channels, this fills that gap. It's the "just give me everything" option.

Option 4: DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is another live TV streaming service that includes NBC channels. It starts at $79.99/month for the basic tier and goes up from there. Like Hulu + Live TV, it's essentially cable reimagined for streaming.

DirecTV Stream gets kudos for having better local channel coverage in some markets, but it's pricey and redundant if you're only missing NBC.

Option 5: YouTube TV

YouTube TV is $72.99/month and includes live NBC broadcasts. It's often praised for having the cleanest interface of any live TV streaming service. If you like sports and want a reliable, well-designed streaming experience, this is solid.

The catch: like other live TV services, it's expensive as a standalone. But if you're already a YouTube TV subscriber for other reasons, you're covered for NBC.

Why NBC Sports Content Matters (And Why This Blackout Hurts)

NBC isn't just primetime shows. It's a massive sports distributor. Here's what's currently unavailable:

Premier League Soccer: NBC has the exclusive English Premier League broadcasting rights in the U.S. If you want to watch Liverpool vs. Manchester City, you need NBC (or Peacock, which carries some EPL games). This is huge for soccer fans.

NBA Games: NBA games air on NBC regularly, especially primetime and playoff games. TNT and ESPN have the rights to most games, but NBC carries premium matchups. If you want to watch Lakers vs. Celtics on NBC, you're blocked.

2026 Winter Olympics: This is the big one. NBC has exclusive rights to the 2026 Winter Olympics (being held in Milan, Italy). Every figure skating competition, every alpine skiing event, every snowboarding medal match—it all goes through NBC. If the blackout persists through February 2026, you literally cannot watch the Olympics on Fubo.

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships mentioned in the original story are happening right now. They air on NBC. Figure skating fans in the U.S. are essentially locked out of watching American champions compete.

Golf, Hockey, and Other Sports: NBC covers golf tournaments, NHL games, and various other sporting events depending on the season.

This sports coverage is why the blackout is so painful. You're not missing primetime dramas (which often air on cable alternatives). You're missing live, time-sensitive events that can't be rewound or binge-watched. Miss Sunday Night Football? It's gone forever. You can't catch it later.

Option C is the cheapest at $12.99/month but less convenient. Option B offers a balanced cost and convenience, while Option A is the most expensive. Estimated data.

Real Housewives, Bravo, and Entertainment Content That's Vanished

Beyond sports, Bravo is gone. That means:

• The Real Housewives franchise: All of it. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Salt Lake City, Miami, Potomac, Atlanta, New York, New Jersey, Orange County—complete blackout.
• Vanderpump Rules: The popular reality series and its spinoffs.
• Summer House and Winter House: Bravo's seasonal reality shows.
• Southern Hospitality: Bravo's newer reality series.
• Million Dollar Listing: Real estate reality show.
• Married to Medicine: Another long-running Bravo staple.
• Oxygen True Crime Content: Entire true crime archive disappeared.

Bravo's audience skews heavily toward cord-cutters. Fubo attracted a lot of Bravo fans specifically because you could get Bravo without cable. Now those viewers are genuinely stuck.

Peacock carries a lot of this content, but not always in real-time. You can watch Bravo shows on Peacock, but they often premiere there weeks after airing on the actual channel. If you like to watch and discuss with friends immediately, you're out of luck.

Fubo's Official Compensation Package Explained

Fubo's response to the blackout has been to offer two forms of compensation:

The $15 Credit:

Every affected subscriber received a one-time $15 credit to their account. That's a nice gesture, but it's literally one month of service on a basic plan. It doesn't solve the problem long-term.

The Price Reduction:

More significantly, Fubo reduced subscription prices for plans that included NBC content, effective January 1, 2026. The reductions vary:

• Plans that heavily featured NBC content:
  $4-$
  12 monthly reduction
• Plans with lighter NBC coverage: smaller reductions or no reduction

Fubo sent emails to affected subscribers showing their new prices. If you got an email, it means your plan included NBC content and you're eligible for the reduction. If you didn't get an email, your plan didn't include NBC content and nothing changes.

This pricing structure is important because it reveals which Fubo plans relied most heavily on NBC. The highest reductions went to plans that included regional sports networks and the full NBC suite.

What This Means:

The compensation doesn't fully offset the value loss. If you were paying

Fubo is essentially saying: "We know this sucks. Here's some money back. But we're not paying NBCUniversal's asking price, so you might want to consider switching."

When Will NBC Return to Fubo? (The Timeline Question)

Let's be honest: nobody knows. Both companies are being silent about timelines.

The Worst-Case Scenario: The dispute drags through the 2025-2026 sports season. Fubo subscribers miss the entire NBA season, the rest of the NFL season, March Madness, and the Winter Olympics. Eventually, they either switch services or wait until the following season.

The Optimistic Scenario: Someone blinks in the next 2-4 weeks. Negotiations suddenly accelerate, a deal is struck, and channels return by mid-January. This would be in time for the full NFL playoff run.

The Historical Precedent: Most streaming licensing disputes resolve within 3-5 weeks. This one is already at 8+ weeks, which is unusual. That suggests the gap between what Fubo can afford and what NBCUniversal wants is substantial.

The Real Talk: Based on how these disputes usually work, you should assume no return until at least February. That's two months from now. Plan your viewing alternatives accordingly.

Fubo shareholders are likely pressuring management to resolve this quickly. Subscriber losses matter. But Fubo's margins are tight enough that they probably can't afford to accept whatever astronomical fees NBCUniversal is demanding.

NBCUniversal, meanwhile, is investing heavily in Peacock. They might actually prefer to push viewers toward their own service rather than license content to competitors at reasonable rates. This could explain the stubbornness.

Estimated data shows a significant increase in content licensing costs from

Should You Switch Services Entirely or Use Temporary Workarounds?

This is the real decision you need to make. Do you:

A) Stick with Fubo and use alternatives for NBC content?

Pros: You keep your Fubo account and all other channels. You don't lose your watch history or settings.

Cons: You're paying for two services (Fubo + Peacock/Hulu). The total cost might exceed what you were paying before.

B) Switch entirely to a competitor like Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV?

Pros: One bill instead of two. You get everything in one place. You're sending a message to Fubo that the blackout has consequences.

Cons: You lose the Fubo channels that are still working. You lose your history, settings, and recordings (if applicable).

C) Bundle Peacock with Walmart+ as a temporary solution?

Pros: Cheapest option by far ($12.99/month). You get other Walmart+ benefits. You're not fully committing to a switch.

Cons: Temporary solution only. You still have Fubo but are still paying for two services.

My recommendation: If this dispute resolves within 4-6 weeks (optimistic timeline), use option C. It's cheap and temporary. If you're watching beyond January and there's no sign of resolution, switch to option B. At that point, maintaining two subscriptions becomes illogical.

Comparative Analysis: Fubo vs. Hulu + Live TV vs. YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Stream

Let's break down how these services compare when you're trying to replace Fubo:

Channel Coverage:

• Fubo (pre-blackout): 230+ channels, strong sports focus
• Hulu + Live TV: 90+ channels, broad mainstream TV
• YouTube TV: 85+ channels, lean sports focus
• DirecTV Stream: 65-150+ channels depending on tier

Sports Coverage:

• Fubo: Premier League, NBA, international soccer, golf
• Hulu + Live TV: NFL, NBA, MLB, college sports
• YouTube TV: NFL, NBA, MLB, college sports
• DirecTV Stream: Broader sports than competitors

Price Point:

• Fubo (after reduction):
  $54.99-$
  79.99/month
• Hulu + Live TV: $82.99/month
• YouTube TV: $72.99/month
• DirecTV Stream:
  $79.99-$
  139.99/month

Interface Quality:

• Fubo: Clean, intuitive, strong guide
• Hulu + Live TV: Integrated with on-demand Hulu
• YouTube TV: Cleanest interface, easiest to use
• DirecTV Stream: Traditional cable-like guide

Contract Terms:

• Fubo: Month-to-month
• Hulu + Live TV: Month-to-month (part of Hulu bundle)
• YouTube TV: Month-to-month
• DirecTV Stream: Month-to-month

None of these require long-term contracts, which is good. You can try one and switch if it doesn't work.

Using Peacock as Your Primary NBC Solution

If you're only missing NBC content and want to stay with Fubo for everything else, Peacock is the logical addition.

Why Peacock Works Well:

• Sunday Night Football is there, live and in full quality
• Entire Bravo library is available
• Original content like The Traitors is excellent
• Cost is reasonable ($11/month or free with Walmart+)
• Reliable streaming quality (owned by NBCUniversal, so infrastructure is top-notch)

Where Peacock Falls Short:

• Some NBC shows premiere on the channel first, then hit Peacock weeks later
• Live local NBC affiliate access requires Premium Plus ($17/month)
• Some regional sports networks aren't on Peacock at all
• No true "live TV" guide like cable—you're hunting for individual events

The Peacock Premium vs. Premium Plus Question:

If you only care about sports and Bravo, Premium ($11/month) is enough. You get every Sunday Night Football game.

If you want live local NBC news and daytime programming, upgrade to Premium Plus ($17/month).

Plans with heavy NBC content received the highest reductions, up to $12 monthly. Estimated data based on content description.

Regional Sports Networks: The Toughest Problem

Here's the hardest part of this blackout: regional sports networks.

NBC Sports Bay Area Plus, NBC Sports California, and NBC Sports Philadelphia aren't available on any major streaming service except through the live TV services (Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, etc.).

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and want to watch Warriors games on NBC Sports Bay Area, you're genuinely out of luck without either Fubo (which you can't get right now) or one of the live TV services.

Local sports are often legally unavailable anywhere else. MLB blackout rules, NBA local exclusivity agreements, and NHL regional restrictions mean you can't just use Peacock and expect to see every local game.

This is the biggest leverage point for Fubo in these negotiations. Subscribers in these markets are essentially hostages. If you need those regional networks, you either:

1. Switch to a live TV service like YouTube TV
2. Go back to cable/satellite
3. Find alternative sources (which we won't discuss here)

There's no perfect solution for regional sports fans right now. It's the least solvable part of the blackout.

The Broader Streaming Landscape: Why These Disputes Are Becoming More Common

The Fubo-NBC dispute isn't an anomaly. It's a sign of where streaming is headed. Here's why disputes like this are becoming more frequent:

1. Content Licensing Costs Are Skyrocketing

As streaming grows, licensing content gets more expensive. A year ago, content that cost

2. Media Companies Want to Own the Relationship

NBCUniversal doesn't just want licensing fees. They want viewers on Peacock where they control the ad load, the user experience, and the data. That's worth more to them than licensing fees from Fubo, even if Fubo pays more.

3. The Race to Profitability

Streamers are tired of losing money. Peacock was hemorrhaging cash for years. Now NBCUniversal wants to drive users directly to Peacock so they can reach profitability faster. Licensing to competitors works against that goal.

4. Subscriber Prediction Models Are Fragile

Streaming services have invested in detailed models that predict how many subscribers they'll have based on content availability. When licensing disputes occur, these models break down, and stock prices tank. This creates urgency to resolve disputes, but also creates willingness to go nuclear if the other side won't budge.

5. Cord-Cutting Has Matured

Five years ago, there were millions of potential new streamers to convert from cable. Now, most people who want to cut the cord already have. Growth has to come from stealing subscribers from competitors, not expanding the market. This increases competition and reduces willingness to share content.

The result: expect more disputes like this. The streaming "truce" of 2020-2023 where everyone licensed to everyone is over. Now it's territorial.

What This Means for Your Long-Term Streaming Strategy

Here's the uncomfortable truth about the Fubo-NBC blackout: it's a glimpse of the future.

You'll never have all content on one service again. That's not because of incompetence; it's by design. Media companies want to own their customers. They want you on their platform where they can show you their ads and collect your data.

This means your streaming strategy needs to evolve. Instead of trying to find the one perfect service, you need to:

1. Accept Multiple Subscriptions

Most people need 3-5 subscriptions to get comprehensive coverage. The goal is to optimize that bundle.

2. Rotate Subscriptions Seasonally

Don't keep Peacock year-round if you only want the Super Bowl in February. Keep it for one month, cancel it, re-subscribe during the Olympics. Services count on lazy subscribers who forget to cancel.

3. Use Bundles Aggressively

Walmart+ with Peacock, Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN, Amazon Prime with ad-free Prime Video. These bundles save money.

4. Know Your Must-Haves

What content can't you live without? (Sunday Night Football, Real Housewives, local sports?) Build your subscription strategy around those non-negotiables.

5. Monitor Disputes

Follow streaming news. When disputes happen, you need to know fast so you can plan alternatives before the blackout hits.

Estimated data shows that subscribing to multiple streaming services can cost over $100 per month, mirroring traditional cable pricing.

The Fubo-NBC Dispute as a Symptom of Streaming's Structural Problems

Let's zoom out. The Fubo-NBC dispute reveals something uncomfortable about how streaming has evolved.

The Promise vs. Reality:

When streaming became mainstream, the pitch was simple: "Cut the cord. Get all content without cable's bloated pricing and 18-minute ad loads."

What we've gotten instead: dozens of separate services, complex negotiations over exclusive windows, regional blackouts that persist, and pricing that's beginning to approach cable in total cost.

If you subscribe to Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Max, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Peacock, and Fubo, you're paying $100+ per month. Add in the specialty services for sports and niche content, and you're back to cable pricing.

Why This Matters:

The Fubo-NBC dispute shows that this fragmentation is getting worse, not better. Companies are increasingly willing to pull content and take short-term subscriber losses if it benefits their long-term strategy.

This isn't a temporary problem that will resolve when licensing agreements catch up. It's a permanent feature of the streaming landscape. The "cable replacement" dream is dead. What we have now is Cable 2.0: more choices, more fragmentation, more negotiating, more subscriptions.

Practical Steps: What to Do This Week

If you're a Fubo subscriber and want to watch NBC content this week, here's your action plan:

Step 1: Assess Your NBC Content Needs How much NBC content do you actually watch? Just Sunday Night Football? Or do you also watch Bravo, CNBC, and regional sports?

Step 2: Check Your Fubo Bill Did you get an email from Fubo about a price reduction? If yes, your plan included NBC content and you're losing significant value. If no, you're less affected.

Step 3: Choose Your Temporary Solution

• If you only need Sunday Night Football: Get Peacock Premium ($11/month)
• If you want the absolute cheapest option: Get Walmart+ ($12.99/month) for free Peacock
• If you need multiple NBC channels and live local NBC: Get Peacock Premium Plus ($17/month)

Step 4: Set a Deadline for a More Permanent Decision Give the dispute 4-6 weeks to resolve. By mid-January, if there's no sign of resolution, seriously consider switching to Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or another competitor.

Step 5: Document What You're Using If you switch services, export your watch lists, recording preferences, and anything else you want to keep. This makes the transition easier.

The Winter Olympics Problem (The Elephant in the Room)

Remember when I mentioned the 2026 Winter Olympics being on NBC? That's not a minor issue.

The Olympics run February 6-22, 2026. This is during peak winter sports season. Figure skating, skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey—all of it goes through NBC.

If the Fubo-NBC dispute isn't resolved by February, Fubo subscribers literally cannot watch the Olympics. At all. On their Fubo subscription.

This is such a massive problem that both companies probably have internal deadlines for this dispute to be resolved by mid-January. Letting U.S. subscribers miss the entire Winter Olympics would be a PR disaster for both.

Don't be shocked if there's sudden, urgent progress in negotiations by late December. The Olympics deadline is real pressure.

Expert Takes: What Industry Analysts Are Saying

While both companies remain publicly silent on specifics, industry analysts have weighed in:

Licensing Fees: Most analysts believe NBCUniversal is asking for 15-25% more in licensing fees than Fubo can afford. The gap is substantial enough that Fubo would rather lose subscribers than accept the terms.

Peacock Strategy: Analysts suggest NBCUniversal is using this dispute partly to pressure viewers toward Peacock. Even if a deal is struck, expect Peacock to carry more exclusive NBC content going forward.

Fubo's Negotiating Position: Fubo's willingness to maintain the blackout suggests they're betting the public pressure and subscriber losses will eventually force NBCUniversal to negotiate down from their initial ask.

Timeline Predictions: Most analysts expect resolution by mid-January, before the Winter Olympics. An Olympic-season blackout would be too damaging to both parties' reputations.

FAQ

What channels are missing from Fubo due to the NBC blackout?

Over 25 channels owned or operated by NBCUniversal are currently missing from Fubo, including NBC, Bravo, USA Network, MSNBC, CNBC, E!, Telemundo, and regional sports networks like NBC Sports Bay Area Plus, NBC Sports California, and NBC Sports Philadelphia. The blackout affects everything from Sunday Night Football to the Real Housewives franchise to regional sports coverage.

How can I watch Sunday Night Football without Fubo?

You can stream Sunday Night Football on Peacock (starting at

Will NBC channels return to Fubo?

NBC channels will eventually return to Fubo when both companies reach a new licensing agreement. As of now, there's no return date announced, but negotiations are ongoing. Most industry analysts predict resolution sometime in January 2026, before the Winter Olympics in February, though this is not guaranteed.

What compensation is Fubo offering for the blackout?

Fubo issued a one-time

Is Peacock worth it just for NBC sports?

Peacock Premium at $11/month is worth it if you regularly watch Sunday Night Football, NFL playoffs, some NBA games, and Premier League soccer. You also get a large library of Bravo shows, movies, and NBC originals. If you only watch one game per month, it might not justify the cost, but if you're a regular sports watcher, it's reasonable.

Should I switch from Fubo permanently or just use a temporary workaround?

If this dispute resolves within 4-6 weeks (most likely by mid-January), use a temporary workaround like Peacock to supplement Fubo. If the blackout continues beyond January without signs of resolution, switch permanently to a live TV service like Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV. The cost of maintaining two subscriptions indefinitely usually exceeds the cost of one comprehensive service.

Why is this dispute taking so long to resolve?

The blackout has lasted over two months because the gap between Fubo's ability to pay licensing fees and NBCUniversal's asking price appears to be substantial. Both companies are digging in, betting they can outlast the other. Fubo likely can't afford to pay the fees NBCUniversal wants without significantly raising prices, while NBCUniversal would prefer to push viewers to Peacock where they own the relationship and advertising.

Will the 2026 Winter Olympics be affected?

If the dispute isn't resolved by February 2026, yes, Fubo subscribers will be unable to watch any Winter Olympics coverage through their Fubo subscription. This is a major factor forcing resolution by mid-January. Both companies understand that an Olympic-season blackout would be a PR disaster.

What about regional sports? Where can I watch NBA, NHL, or local sports on NBC regional networks?

Regional sports networks (NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Philadelphia, etc.) are only available through live TV streaming services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or DirecTV Stream when they're not on Fubo. If you're in one of these markets and heavily dependent on regional sports, you'll likely need to switch to a live TV service or wait for the NBC dispute to resolve.

Is Walmart+ Peacock bundle worth it?

Yes, absolutely. Walmart+ costs $12.99/month and includes free Peacock Premium as part of the membership. If you already shop at Walmart, use gas, or buy groceries, the membership often pays for itself through discounts and free shipping, making Peacock essentially free. It's the best value option for getting NBC content without a separate subscription.

Conclusion: Navigating the Streaming Wars

The Fubo-NBC blackout is frustrating, but it's also a window into how streaming is genuinely evolving. This isn't a temporary inconvenience. It's the new normal.

Here's what you should understand: media companies are increasingly willing to pull content to protect their interests. NBCUniversal wants viewers on Peacock. Fubo wants to protect its margins. Both are playing hardball.

For you, that means:

In the short term (next 4-6 weeks): Use Peacock, Walmart+ bundles, or other temporary workarounds. Most analysts expect resolution by mid-January.

In the medium term (if it goes longer): Seriously consider switching to a comprehensive live TV service. The math doesn't work long-term if you're maintaining multiple subscriptions.

In the long term (your streaming future): Accept that you'll never have everything on one service. Build a strategy around your must-haves and optimize the subscription bundle. Think seasonal (cancel services you don't need during off-seasons) and follow industry news so you're not caught off-guard by the next blackout.

The streaming revolution promised liberation from cable. What we've gotten is something more complex: more choice, more fragmentation, more negotiating, and honestly, pricing that's approaching cable in total cost. That's not a bug; that's the intended design.

For now, the simplest path forward is Peacock at

And watch the Olympics deadline. It's the real pressure point. When resolution comes, it will probably come suddenly, right before February.

Welcome to streaming 2.0. It's not quite what anyone promised, but it's what we've got.

Key Takeaways

• NBC channels unavailable on Fubo since November 21, 2025, affecting 25+ channels including NBC, Bravo, USA Network, and regional sports networks
• Sunday Night Football can be streamed on Peacock (
  $11/month), Walmart+ with free Peacock ($
  12.99/month), or Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/month)
• Fubo offered
  $15 credits and reduced subscription prices by$
  4-$12/month for affected subscribers, but no return date for NBC channels has been announced
• The dispute has lasted 8+ weeks (unusual for typical 3-5 week licensing conflicts), suggesting substantial gap between Fubo's affordable rates and NBCUniversal's asking price
• 2026 Winter Olympics in February is a critical deadline pressure point that should force resolution by mid-January to avoid a PR disaster for both companies

Related Articles

• Disney+ Hulu ESPN Bundle: Best Streaming Deal & Top Shows [2025]
• Best Live TV Streaming Services to Cut Cable [2026]
• Paramount+ Coupon Codes & Deals: How to Save [2025]