YouTube TV is estimated to have passed the 6 million subscriber mark recently. If correct, this would be another milestone for the Google-owned live TV service, and further confirmation of its market-leading position.
Google and YouTube are not totally forthcoming when it comes to releasing subscriber data. While they do release some data, typically each time a major milestone is met, neither company releases quarterly data on the number of YouTube TV subscribers. The last time there was any official confirmation, YouTube TV had reached 5 million subscribers.
YouTube TV is estimated to have added another 300,000 subscribers in the first three months of this year. Provided by SVB MoffettNathanson (via Variety), this estimation suggests that the total number of YouTube TV subscribers had risen to 6.3 million at the end of the last quarter.
If correct, this would put YouTube TV almost two million ahead of the next closest live TV streaming service, Hulu Live TV. Disney does provide quarterly figures for Hulu Live TV and only just confirmed 4.4 million Hulu Live TV subscribers at the close of the last quarter. For reference, this was 100,000 less than it had at the start of the year.
Speaking of losses, SVB MoffettNathanson also estimates that YouTube TV was the only live TV streaming service to gain subscribers in the first quarter. This does seem to tally with the latest data we’ve received this month on the state of the live TV subscriber market.
While the likes of DirecTV Stream, Philo, and Vidgo don’t provide regular updates on subscriber numbers, both Fubo and Sling TV (via Dish) released their latest quarterly results. Along with Hulu, both Fubo and Sling confirmed a drop when compared to the previous quarter.
Regardless of whether YouTube TV has reached 6 million subscribers, the suggestion that it did increase subscribers at a time when others are reporting losses, is likely to be a good indication of the health of the streaming service in 2023.
Considering YouTube has taken over NFL Sunday Ticket, already opened subscription preorders, and YouTube TV members are able to save on the annual cost, it would seem likely that more subscribers will be added throughout the current quarter as well.
Leave a Reply