Adding NBA League Pass through YouTube TV
You can add NBA League Pass to your YouTube TV account directly through the YouTube TV app or website. The process takes a few minutes: open YouTube TV, go to your account settings, find the add-ons section, select NBA League Pass, choose your subscription tier, and complete the purchase. YouTube TV will then bundle the League Pass subscription with your regular bill.
The key difference from buying League Pass standalone is that YouTube TV handles the payment and login together. You don't need a separate NBA account — your YouTube TV credentials work for both services. Once added, you'll see League Pass content mixed into your YouTube TV guide and available on-demand through the NBA app on compatible devices.
Key Takeaways
- NBA League Pass is added through YouTube TV's add-ons menu, not purchased separately from the NBA.
- You can choose between League Pass with local blackouts or League Pass Premium (no blackouts), and the cost varies by the time of year you subscribe.
- After adding League Pass, you watch games through the YouTube TV app, the NBA app, or the web — your YouTube TV login works across all of them.
- League Pass games appear in your YouTube TV guide alongside your regular channels, but some nationally televised games are still blacked out depending on your tier.
- You can cancel League Pass at any time through YouTube TV's settings, and the charge will stop at your next billing cycle.
Step-by-step: Adding League Pass on YouTube TV
Start by opening the YouTube TV app on your phone, tablet, or computer, or go to tv.youtube.com in a browser. Sign in with the Google account linked to your YouTube TV subscription.
On the home screen, look for your profile icon in the top right corner and tap or click it. Select Settings from the menu. Scroll down to find Memberships or Add-ons — the exact label depends on your device, but it's the section where YouTube TV lists optional services you can add.
Tap or click Browse add-ons or Manage add-ons. You'll see a list of available add-on subscriptions. Find NBA League Pass in the list and select it. YouTube TV will show you the available tiers and the current price.
Choose your tier (see the next section for the difference between them), review the billing details, and confirm the purchase. YouTube TV will add the charge to your next bill. You should see a confirmation message, and League Pass will be active when ready or within a few minutes.
League Pass tiers and what they include
YouTube TV offers two versions of NBA League Pass as add-ons. NBA League Pass (sometimes called the standard tier) lets you watch out-of-market games — games involving teams outside your local area. Games involving your home team and nationally televised games on ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV are blacked out, meaning you can't watch them through League Pass even if you have the subscription. You'll need to watch those games through your regular YouTube TV channels.
NBA League Pass Premium removes the blackout restrictions, so you can watch every game including your local team and national broadcasts. The trade-off is a higher price. Both tiers include access to replays, highlights, and the ability to watch on multiple devices at once.
Pricing changes throughout the season. Early-season subscriptions (before the playoffs start) cost less than mid-season or playoff-only subscriptions. YouTube TV will show you the exact current price when you're in the add-ons menu, so you'll know what you're paying before you confirm.
Watching League Pass games on different devices
Once League Pass is added to your YouTube TV account, you can watch games on any device where you can access YouTube TV or the NBA app. On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube TV app and browse the guide — League Pass games will be marked and mixed in with your regular channels. You can also open the NBA app (available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and other platforms) and sign in with your YouTube TV Google account.
On a computer, go to tv.youtube.com, sign in, and find League Pass games in the guide. You can also watch through nba.com by signing in with your YouTube TV credentials. The experience is the same across devices — your login carries your League Pass access with it.
Note that some devices have restrictions. Smart TVs usually require the YouTube TV app or the NBA app; you can't watch through a web browser on a TV. If you're unsure whether a device supports League Pass, try signing in with your YouTube TV account on that device's NBA app or YouTube TV app.
Blackout rules and what you can and cannot watch
Blackouts exist because local and national broadcasters have exclusive rights to certain games. With standard League Pass, you cannot watch games involving your home team (the team in your geographic area), games on ESPN, ABC, TNT, or NBA TV, or playoff games on national broadcasts. These games are available through your regular YouTube TV channels if you have them, or you may need to find another way to watch.
Your home team is determined by your location — YouTube TV detects this from your account settings and billing address. If you live in New York, for example, Knicks and Nets games are blacked out on standard League Pass. You can watch every other team's games that aren't on national TV.
League Pass Premium removes these blackouts, so you can watch your home team and national broadcasts through League Pass. This is the main reason to choose Premium if you want to watch every game your team plays.
Canceling League Pass and managing your subscription
To cancel League Pass, go back to YouTube TV Settings, find Memberships or Add-ons, and look for NBA League Pass in your active subscriptions. Select it and choose Cancel or Remove. YouTube TV will ask you to confirm. The cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing cycle — you won't be charged again, but you'll keep access to League Pass until that date arrives.
If you cancel mid-month, you won't receive a refund for the unused portion. YouTube TV treats add-ons the same way it treats the main subscription: you pay for the full month regardless of when you cancel. Plan your cancellation for just before your next billing date if you want to avoid paying for a month you won't use.
You can also pause League Pass temporarily by downgrading from Premium to standard, or vice versa. This doesn't cancel the subscription — it just changes your tier and adjusts your next bill accordingly.
Troubleshooting common issues
If League Pass doesn't appear in your add-ons menu, make sure you're signed in to the YouTube TV account that has an active subscription. Add-ons are only available to accounts with a current YouTube TV membership. If you're on a free trial, you may not be able to add League Pass until the trial converts to a paid subscription.
If you added League Pass but don't see games in your guide, refresh the YouTube TV app or reload the website. Sometimes the guide takes a few minutes to update. If games still don't appear, check that you're looking at the right date and time — League Pass games are only listed when they're actually scheduled.
If you're seeing blackout messages for games you expected to watch, double-check which tier you purchased. Standard League Pass has blackouts; Premium does not. You can upgrade to Premium at any time through the same add-ons menu, and YouTube TV will prorate the charge to your next bill.
If you're having trouble signing into the NBA app with your YouTube TV account, make sure you're using the same Google account for both services. YouTube TV uses Google sign-in for League Pass, so your Google credentials are what matter. If you created your YouTube TV account with an email address instead of a Google account, you may need to link them first through your Google account settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch League Pass games on YouTube TV's web player?
Yes. Go to tv.youtube.com, sign in, and find League Pass games in the guide just like you would in the app. You can click on a game to watch it in the web player. The experience is the same as the app version.
Do I need YouTube TV to watch NBA League Pass?
No. You can buy League Pass directly from the NBA or through other services like Hulu or Apple TV Channels. Adding it through YouTube TV is just one option — it bundles the charge with your YouTube TV bill and lets you watch through the YouTube TV interface.
What happens to League Pass if I cancel YouTube TV?
League Pass will be canceled along with your YouTube TV subscription. If you want to keep watching League Pass after you cancel YouTube TV, you would need to purchase it separately from the NBA or through another provider.
Can I share my League Pass with other people in my household?
Yes, anyone who uses your YouTube TV account can watch League Pass games. YouTube TV allows multiple profiles and simultaneous streams depending on your plan, so family members can watch on different devices at the same time. However, the subscription is tied to your YouTube TV account, not to individual profiles.
Is League Pass the same price every month?
No. The price changes depending on when you subscribe during the season. Early-season subscriptions are cheaper than mid-season or playoff-only subscriptions. YouTube TV shows you the current price before you confirm your purchase, so you'll always know what you're paying.