Fubo’s cheapest “Essential” plan is gone after just four months

Back in December, Fubo launched a new plan called “Essential,” which didn’t carry regional sports channels and their associated hidden fees.

Four months later, Fubo has removed Essential from its sign-up page for new subscribers, leaving its “Pro” plan as the cheapest option. While Fubo Pro carries the same $85-per-month list price as Fubo Essential, it also includes a regional sports fee, which adds at least $13 per month to the total. Fubo doesn’t disclose this until you reach the final checkout page.

Essential—which actually does cost $85 per month—remains available for existing subscribers and those who are reactivating an expired subscription. Fubo spokeswoman Jennifer Press confirmed that it’s stopped offering the plan to new subscribers.

“Since Fubo is a sports-first offering, consumers prefer the Pro base plan with regional sports networks, especially during baseball season,” she said via email.

Fubo alternatives

Most other live TV streaming services exclude regional sports from their lineups in many markets, including YouTube TV ($83 per month), Hulu + Live TV ($83 per month), and Sling TV (starting at $46 per month). That makes them quite a bit cheaper than the actual price of Fubo Pro, which starts at $98 per month after fees.

And if you do want regional sports, there are other options. Most MLB, NBA, and NHL teams now offer direct-to-consumer services, with prices ranging anywhere from free in some markets to $30 per month in others. DirecTV, meanwhile, includes regional sports in its “Choice” and higher packages, and has started offering them as a $20-per-month add-on for its new $70 per month MySports plan.

A cheaper option’s coming

Although Fubo’s Essential plan isn’t available to new subscribers anymore, the company plans to launch a separate “Sports & Broadcast” package in the second half of this year. Fubo hasn’t announced a price, but sources have told Matthew Keys that it’ll likely cost between $50 and $60 per month.

Further reading: Our top picks in live TV streaming services.

The move is part of a broader recalibration for pay TV packages, which have become increasingly bloated and expensive over the years. TV providers are finally convincing programmers to allow for slimmed-down packages that focus on specific genres (though some resistance remains).

As of now, it’s unclear whether regional sports channels will be available as part of Fubo’s forthcoming skinny bundle, but they probably won’t be mandatory.

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Author: Jared Newman, Contributor