YouTube TV introduces cheaper bundles, including a $65/month sports package | TechCrunch

YouTube TV introduces cheaper bundles, including a $65/month sports package | TechCrunch

YouTube on Monday introduced lower-priced YouTube TV plans that will allow subscribers to better tailor their plans to their own interests in areas like sports, news, and entertainment. The company said that it will offer more than 10 different plans to choose from, all priced below the $82.99 per month main YouTube TV plan that has access to more than 100 networks. The new plans will start rolling out this week.

While that main plan will not go away, the new plans will allow customers to pick what matters most and what they could do without in return for cost savings.

Image Credits:YouTube

Among the new plans are a $64.99 per month Sports plan, a Sports + News plan for $71.99 per month, a less expensive Entertainment plan for $54.99 per month, and a $69.99 per month News + Entertainment + Family plan, which includes kids’ content.

The Sports plans include all major broadcasters, plus networks like FS1, NBC Sports Network, all of the ESPN networks, and ESPN Unlimited. This plan is $18 cheaper per month than the main plan.

YouTube TV’s news channels include CNBC, Fox News, CNN, MS NOW, and Bloomberg, along with other national news channels. Combined with Sports, the package is priced $11 lower per month than the main YouTube TV plan.

The entertainment-only plan is $28 cheaper per month than the main plan, and includes major broadcasters as well as FX, Hallmark, Comedy Central, Bravo, Paramount, Food Network, and HGTV. Families with small kids can add other channels like Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, National Geographic, Cartoon Network, and PBS Kids for a bit more.

The company is also offering discounts for new subscribers, which could lower the price of certain plans further for either the first few months or the first year. Subscribers will continue to have access to YouTube TV’s unlimited DVR, support for up to six family members on one account, multiview, and more.

Other add-ons like NFL Sunday Ticket + RedZone, HBO Max, and 4K Plus can also be purchased to customize plans further.

The company says all the new plans will roll out over the next several weeks.

Customized packages are now not a new idea in streaming — à la carte options were a key part of the early streaming pioneer Sling TV’s initial offering, for instance. This element of personalization was also one of the factors that was meant to make streaming a better alternative to traditional pay TV, where consumers often ended up paying for channels they didn’t want.

But as streamers added more content, networks, and, in particular, sports programming, the cost of streaming inched back up to compete with cable and linear television. Live TV streamers like YouTube TV may have offered convenience and some savings over still more expensive cable, but it wasn’t exactly affordable anymore.

These new packages hit the market at a time when consumer confidence is at its lowest in more than 11 years, due to fears about the labor market and higher prices, which have made consumers more cautious about their spending.

Victoria BC Interactive Restaurant Guide: author R.G. Richardson

Victoria BC Interactive Restaurant Guide: City restaurants (Canada Restaurant Guides) eBook : Richardson, R.G.: Amazon.ca: Books 

Victoria BC Interactive Restaurant Guide: City restaurants (Canada Restaurant Guides) Kindle Edition

by R.G. Richardson (Author)  Format: Kindle Edition

Part of: Canada Restaurant Guides (5 books)

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Victoria BC Interactive Restaurant Guide searches using the power of the internet, continuously updated and never out of date. All editions use the power of the internet with over 12,900 links. Use your browser to search for a city in your language. Point and click, that is it, and with a 5G network, it is very fast! You can now avoid spelling mistakes and language difficulties, making your search accurate and simple enough for everybody to use. One thumb is required; simply pick and click the icon, and your search is done. Read everything you want to know and it is never out of date. Don't want to read, watch it all as it searches YouTube too! Restaurant guides have extensive restaurant (barbecue, buffet, bistro, cafeteria, fast food, fine dining, take-out, pub, ethnic restaurants) searches. Sit in the coffee shop and start searching away on their WiFi, and start using our interactive city search guides with multiple languages! For PC, Mac, Pad, iPhone or mobile IOS and Android phone enabled search tool with multi-search engine capability built right in. RG Richardson guides search for careers, food, hotels, real estate, historical sites, sports, transportation, concerts, even public toilets and water closets. Find everything that’s fun to do; with travel planning, maps and car rentals. Good for tourists, travellers, vacationers and business persons who have just moved to town, and even long-term residents who want to stay on top of what’s new and current in their area or city. These guides are great for those with disabilities; pick and click with one thumb, no typing! Finance interactive notes, dictionaries and glossaries for economics, financial, markets, money and banking for students and professionals. Are you financially literate? Financial literacy is the ability to understand and effectively apply various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing. Financial literacy helps individuals become self-sufficient so that they can achieve financial stability. Career and job interactive guides search cities worldwide helping you with career planning and search job boards for part-time and full opportunities in real-time. Real estate interactive housing, apartments, condominiums, vacation properties and commercial property guides for cities worldwide. All guides search in 10 languages including Chinese, French, English, German, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Indian, Portuguese and Japanese! R.G. Richardson City Interactive Guides using the power of the internet. Over 230 guides are available in 190 countries worldwide. Published in Canada by: eComTechnology/RGRichardson Assign Centre, ISBN Division Library and Archives Canada Author R.G. Richardson Victoria, BC. V8R 5G9 Updated 10/13/2025

 

Enter the itty-bitty airport lounge

American Express

Why not pregame your middle seat assignment by hanging out in another small enclosure first? It may sound counterintuitive, but some credit card companies and airlines are responding to widespread overcrowding at airport clubs with tinier lounges that aren’t even designed for lounging. American Express opened its first one, called Sidecar, in Las Vegas yesterday. True to its name, Sidecar is a miniature companion to AmEx’s flagship Centurion Lounge, which also has a location at Sin City’s airport and costs AmEx Platinum cardholders $895/year to access. But Centurion has become notorious for long lines, so the company hopes to appease its masses with a bougie, pit-stop-focused alternative: The new lounge is 1,500 square feet (vs. the nearby Centurion’s 13,000 square feet), and you can’t enter until 90 minutes before departure. There are also only 33 seats. What it lacks in amenities—no buffets, showers, family rooms, or lounger-style seats—it makes up for with lobster rolls, black garlic aioli, and other menu frills. Lounges may be having their tiny-home moment. Last year, American Airlines opened its first 10-seat, grab-and-go version of its flagship Admirals Club, free to access for holders of its $595-per-year credit card. JetBlue also recently launched its first airport lounge with a 140-person capacity to minimize overcrowding—though that’s quite the party compared with Sidecar.

Yachting calendar treading water

 This newsletter is provided through the support of its sponsors, delivering a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk…with a North American focus.

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UK Sailmakers - Mount Gay Rum - FOILFAST

 

JOIN THE SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CLUB Scuttlebutt Sailing Club, the official club of Scuttlebutt Sailing News, officially sanctioned by US Sailing since 2001, and officially available to all Scuttlebutt readers. SSC fulfills the racing rule which requires club membership. For details, click here.

A Winter the Media Noticed by Deb Whitehorse A few weeks ago, before the latest storm buried the East Coast in snow, strong ice and clear wind brought the Van Nostrand Challenge Cup back to the Navesink River in Red Bank. The historic race ignited a wave of attention. Reporters from The New York Times, The New Yorker, and NPR took notice of ice sailing. Historic iceboats and clubs filled social media feeds with photos and video. The audience expanded in a way we rarely see. That attention helps recruit new sailors and preserve historic clubs whose traditions stretch back more than a century. It reminds the public that this is not a curiosity, but a serious winter sport with deep American roots and active fleets from Montana to Maine. For decades, people have asked: why not the Olympics? In the late 1990s and early 2000s, there were formal discussions with the International Sailing Federation about bringing ice sailing into the Winter Games. Meetings were held. Surveys were conducted. A purpose-built Olympic ice yacht was even considered. The effort ultimately stalled, largely because the Olympics require certainty, and ice does not cooperate on a fixed schedule. For an article about the situation with more detail, click here. This season demonstrated that when conditions arrive in highly visible places, the story of the sport travels farther. For links to the stories, click here.

Performance sails that don’t break the bank It’s a fact that load path sails, with continuous yarns running corner-to-corner, retain their aerodynamic design longer than traditional sails. This extended peak-performance life means you get more value for the price of the sail. The problem is that most load path sails come with a hefty price tag. Most do...but not all! X-Drive® from UK Sailmakers are the load path sails that deliver premium performance without breaking the bank. Since their introduction a decade ago, UK Sailmakers has continuously improved the X-Drive manufacturing process. Today, you can work with UK to select from a range of yarn options and protective layers (e.g., taffeta) to create the right sail for your goals at a price you can afford. X-Drive – the ideal sails for serious club racers and performance cruisers. Contact UK Sailmakers and discuss how price-performing X-Drive sails will help you sail with confidence. https://www.uksailmakers.com/x-drive-sails/

Demonstrating a fundamental truth Istvan Kopar competed in the inaugural edition of the Golden Globe Race — a race that rekindled the spirit of the original 1968 solo non-stop circumnavigation challenge. That 2018-19 journey culminated in him becoming the only American — across both editions to date — to complete the course. Now, he is preparing for a new chapter: the Anniversary Challenge — a solo, non-stop, westbound circumnavigation timed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. If the Golden Globe Race celebrates tradition, seamanship, and patience, the Anniversary Challenge takes those same values and turns them directly against the prevailing winds and currents of the planet. - Full report

Yachting calendar treading water The yachting calendar is treading water as international chaos has created safety concerns. It began in Mexico when drug cartels were stirred by recent government action, with the U.S. Department of State listing significant coastal regions as high-risk travel areas. For California, this led to the cancellation of the Puerto Vallarta Race and has the Newport to Ensenada Race in April watching the headlines. And now the recent conflict with Iran has several prominent events wondering what the impact will be later in the year. The 2026 finale for the World Match Racing Tour and the Women’s World Match Racing Tour are both to be held in November at Amaala on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. AMAALA is also hosting The Ocean Race 2027 finish. On the other side of the peninsula, the SailGP league has bigger problems as their final two events of the 2026 season are also in November, and across the Persian Gulf from Iran in the United Arab Emirates. “If it’s like it is now, there’s no way we’re going there,” noted Australian skipper Tom Slingsby. “We’ll just have to wait and see. Those decisions are way above my pay grade but I’m sure they’re already looking at it. Everyone will be watching how that all progresses.” Standing by…

One singular sensation

 

Prime number: One singular sensation

Getty Images

Planning to see a Broadway show on your own? You’re not alone—even though you will be at the show: Solo theatergoers purchased nearly 20% of Broadway tickets, according to data from the Broadway League cited by NPR. That’s double the rate of just a few years ago, NPR reported. The rise of people who want to see a show without having to discuss it over an overpriced dinner in the theater district afterward reflects a broader cultural shift toward doing things alone. People are also traveling, eating at restaurants, and watching movies and concerts all by themselves in greater numbers, a social psychologist told NPR. Looks like we’ve all become a pack of loners.

Grondin, Cayard claim 2025 Rolex honors

 

Naval architect Bill Tripp traces his love of sailing to his father, Bill Tripp II (above), famed designer of boats like the Bermuda 40 and Columbia 50. Bill grew up surrounded by his dad’s sea stories, and shares a vivid tale below in this newsletter.

This newsletter is provided through the support of its sponsors, delivering a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk…with a North American focus. Today's sponsors: North Sails - Lex Risks - Tripp Design   Pardon the interruption In a perfect storm of Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and Presidents Day (Feb. 16), along with the Scuttlebutt team supporting the fully subscribed 2026 Women’s Winter Invitational Regatta (Feb. 13-15) in San Diego, the next newsletter will be delayed until February 20. Thanks! Grondin, Cayard claim 2025 Rolex honors US Sailing has revealed the 2025 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards, with Paul Cayard and Laura Grondin recognized for the most outstanding performances in sailing by American athletes over the past year. A nomination period submitted possible candidates, with a committee selected by US Sailing to advance the top three men and women. The award recipients were announced at New York Yacht Club’s Champions Dinner on February 12, 2026 in New York City, co-hosted by New York Yacht Club and US Sailing. Each year, the awards not only recognize individual achievement but also inspire future generations of sailors to pursue excellence. The selection process emphasizes not only competitive success, but also the sportsmanship, leadership, and commitment that define exceptional sailors. A seasoned veteran on the racing scene, Paul Cayard has no shortage of titles to his name. But his mainstay has been the Star Class, where in 2025 he won the World Championship, triumphing over a fleet of 100-plus boats. This championship win is Cayard’s second Star World title – 37 years after his first World’s win. He also placed third at the Star North American Championship. Outside of Star sailing, Cayard is an accomplished tactician, winning the Voiles des St. Tropez on Twin Soul B. Laura Grondin made history as the first female helm to win the J/70 World Championship this past year, with the title coming down to the final moments of the final race. Grondin also finished second at the Melges 24 World Championship, overcoming a collision and two DNFs early in the regatta. A former International Melges 24 Class Chair, Grondin is also one of the class’s most accomplished female owner-drivers, consistently demonstrating competitive excellence and leadership both on and off the water. Established in 1961 by US Sailing and sponsored by Rolex, these awards are widely regarded as the highest individual honors in American sailing. For more information on the awards: https://www.ussailing.org/competition/awards-trophies/us-sailings-rolex-yachtsman-yachtswoman-of-the-year-awards/

 

Do local tax hikes actually scare off millionaires?

Alyssa Nassner

The folks streaming the Super Bowl from their couches sometimes cheer the idea of hiking taxes on those privileged to watch it from the stadium’s executive box. But high-earners and some critics claim that local tax hikes can backfire, since those jetting into Santa Clara, CA, for the big game today could also pack their bags for good in a move to lower-tax jurisdictions. The debate is gaining steam in 2026, as several states and cities consider reaching into the deepest local pockets to cover public spending: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is lobbying state leaders to raise taxes on the richest New Yorkers to fund campaign proposals like free childcare and bus service. Several state legislatures, including Virginia’s, Washington’s, and Rhode Island’s, are mulling their own millionaire income tax hikes, while Californians might soon vote on a ballot measure that would impose a one-time 5% tax on the wealth of residents worth $1 billion or more. Some wealthy New Yorkers have threatened to leave the Big Apple over taxes. And Google co-founder Larry Page already left California in response to the state’s proposed billionaire tax. Venture capitalist David Sacks personally left California for Austin, TX. His firm, Craft Ventures, opened an office in Austin but is maintaining its San Francisco location too. Other Silicon Valley billionaires, like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, said they won’t ditch the Bear State. Moneybags repellent? The millionaire tax in Massachusetts, which slaps a 4% surcharge on income over $1 million, passed in 2022 and has been held up as a success story. Supporters laud the levy for bringing in almost $6 billion to the state’s coffers over the first two years, boosting education funding and plugging gaps in the public transit budget. Boosters claim that wealthy Massachusetts residents haven’t rushed to rent U-Hauls, citing the rising number of millionaires in the state since the tax was imposed, perhaps because the state’s high quality of life outweighs the tax burden. But the Boston-based libertarian think tank Pioneer Institute insists that local wealth growth is largely due to ballooning asset values and notes that counting Mass-based millionaires doesn’t reflect the number of affluent residents moving to lower-tax destinations like Florida and New Hampshire. Big picture: Evidence from across the US is mixed, as several studies show that millionaires don’t move en masse in response to tax hikes, and when they do, it’s not as significant as headlines might imply. Though some research pushes back, saying that a not-insignificant number of high earners do leave over time.—SK

 

AI has found a home in real estate

Sundaemorning/Getty Images

Buying and selling a home can be a chore, as anyone who’s ever posted a picture holding a set of keys with the caption “So, we did a thing!” can attest. Many people have turned to AI to help smooth out the process. Streamlining search: Rather than clicking through 100 boxes to pick your desired home type, price, square footage, and amenities, you can just ask ChatGPT to “find three-bedroom homes that have been on the market for a while with a fenced-in yard, fireplace, and a dog park nearby.” If you add “Zillow” to the front of your prompt, it will bring up the app and show you photos and maps. Unfortunately, AI still can’t tell you whether the neighbors next door raise tarantulas. Getting down to brass tacks: Once you find a place, AI can help make you aware of potential red flags or determine how much to offer by: Pointing out things like old roofs, suspect HVAC systems, and cracks in the drywall. Determining how much energy those vaulted ceilings could cost you. Translating notes from a home inspection into plain language. Sellers are getting in on the action, too: Realtors are using generative AI to virtually stage home photos and write property descriptions. There are some horror stories (like AI-hallucinated bathroom demons), but overall, 50% of agents say AI has had at least a moderately positive impact on business, according to a 2025 National Association of Realtors survey.

David Foster and friends to play free Inner Harbour

  

David Foster and friends to play free Inner Harbour concert in August

Jay Leno, Josh Groban and Katharine McPhee will be among the guests as the David Foster Foundation, which supports the families of children with organ transplants, celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Mike Devlin
about 6 hours ago

David Foster will be accompanied by the Victoria Symphony at the Inner Harbour event, with surprise guests expected to appear. DAVID FOSTER FOUNDATION

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00:02:57

Victoria’s David Foster will ­celebrate four decades of fundraising with a red-carpet event and concert at the Inner Harbour this summer.

The Grammy Award-winning producer will be joined by Jay Leno, Josh Groban, Katharine McPhee and others for 40th anniversary celebrations for the David Foster Foundation, which includes an Aug. 7 black-tie gala fundraiser and private party at the Victoria Conference Centre and an Aug. 8 free concert at the Inner Harbour.

“This one is going to be our last major fundraiser of the foundation,” Mike Ravenhill, chief executive officer of the David Foster Foundation, told the Times Colonist on Tuesday. “David and I were talking, and we thought, why not come back to Victoria, where we started, and do our last major fundraiser?”

The foundation, which provides financial support for families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants, has assisted upwards of 1,600 families with a variety of non-medical expenses, including travel, accommodation and mortgage assistance.

The foundation will move away from large-scale events in the future, Ravenhill said, in order to transition from a fundraising foundation into an operational foundation that administers its multimillion-dollar endowment.

John Travolta, Michael J. Fox, Rob Lowe and Olivia Newton-John were among the ball-playing guests during the 1980s, before the foundation switched to concerts as its primary means of raising funds.

The foundation’s 25th anniversary events in 2012 also featured a Victoria gala and concert, with Wayne Gretzky, Muhammad Ali and Michael Bublé helping to raise $4.6 million for the ­charity.Additional performers on tap for the 40th anniversary events this summer include the Tenors, former American Idol contestant Pia Toscano, America’s Got Talent finalist Daniel Emmet, and Jersey Boys actor-singer Erich Bergen.

“We wanted to come back and say thank you to Victoria,” Ravenhill said. More guests will be announced in the coming months, he added. “We are going to have lots of entertainers, lots of energy and lots of surprises.”

The celebration at the Victoria Conference Centre will be followed by an exclusive VIP after-party at the Fairmont Empress, featuring live performances by The London Essentials and the Rhapsody Orchestra.

Foster will perform on a floating barge accompanied by the Victoria Symphony at the Inner Harbour event, with surprise guests expected to appear.

“We are going to take the bar and raise it,” Ravenhill said.

For more details, visit ­davidfosterfoundation.com.

Most spectacular yachts in film and TV

 Most spectacular yachts in film and TV

When BOAT International sought to profile the most spectacular yachts in film and TV, they knew the glitz and glamour of superyachts make them ideal stars in everything from box-office blockbusters to the latest Netflix drama. From cartel chaos to catamaran soirees, their list of 22 yachts were nearly all powerboats, but thanks to James Bond, two sailing yachts made the cut:

No Time to Die
A Spirit 46 sailing yacht takes a starring role in the James Bond film No Time to Die. The 14-metre sailing yacht features in the film, which catches up with Bond following his departure from active service. This is not the first time Spirit Yachts has collaborated with the Bond franchise. In 2006, the Spirit 54 featured heavily in Daniel Craig’s first Bond film Casino Royale when it became the first sailing yacht to travel up Venice’s Grand Canal in 300 years.

Skyfall
Daniel Craig’s turns as 007 brought a new generation of beautiful sailing yachts onto the big screen, the most notable of which was Aria I. This 56-metre steel schooner from Pruva Yachting starred in the 2012 film Skyfall as Chimera, the yacht which carried James Bond to villain Raoul Silva’s island hideaway. Preparing the yacht for filming was an arduous process, including re-upholstering inside and out.

Robert Duvall died at 95

 Robert Duvall died at 95. The legendary Apocalypse Now and The Godfather actor, whose career spanned six decades, died Sunday at his home in Virginia, his wife, Luciana, said. A seven-time Oscar nominee who won Best Actor for his role in the 1983 drama Tender Mercies, the versatile Duvall was known for his quiet intensity. According to the Hollywood Reporter, his favorite role was the cowboy Augustus McCrae in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove, based on the acclaimed novel by Larry McMurtry. James Garner was the initial choice for the role but declined because he couldn’t ride a horse for long periods, whereas Duvall was a skilled rider.

 

Renowned restaurateur is fed up with influencers overrunning his restaurant

 

London restaurateur Jeremy King says he’s tired of online influencers ruining the dining experience for other guests as they try to make content for their followers. Some influencers get annoyed about not being allowed to use a tripod, while others rush to the bathroom to change outfits and then complain that their food is cold. King said the troublesome behavior has “gone beyond decency and has become incredibly intrusive,” forcing him to consider banning influencers altogether ...

 

Switzerland will vote on a population cap

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Unlike your college apartment, Switzerland might limit the number of people allowed to live there. Yesterday, the Swiss government scheduled a June referendum on whether the home of Toblerone should cap its population at 10 million. Promoted by a popular right-wing party, the ballot measure—which could limit immigration not just of refugees but also skilled workers—is meant to address the effects of mass migration like ballooning housing costs, overcrowded transit, and changing culture. At capacity, no cap Switzerland’s vibrant economy and Alpine paradise image made it into an immigrant magnet: Its population grew 10%, to 9.1 million, in the past decade—five times faster than that of the EU. If the demographic ceiling passes, authorities would restrict newcomers: Once the population reaches 9.5 million—projected for 2035—the government would have to suspend immigration for family members of foreign residents and limit asylum. At 10 million, Switzerland would start withdrawing from international treaties that make its borders more porous than its cheese, like its free movement accord with the EU, which allows Europeans to live and work there. Critics say this could threaten trade with the EU, the destination of over 40% of Swiss exports. Meanwhile, business leaders are worried about a skilled worker shortage and reduced pension contributions. It might happen…according to a November poll, 48% of voters support the measure, 11% are undecided, and 41% oppose it.