YouTube TV doesn't carry Monday Night Football because ESPN holds the exclusive broadcast rights, and ESPN's streaming deal with YouTube TV doesn't include that specific game package

Monday Night Football airs on ESPN, but YouTube TV's contract with ESPN covers only certain ESPN channels and content — not every game ESPN broadcasts. ESPN owns the rights to show Monday Night Football games, and those rights come with restrictions on which platforms can stream them. YouTube TV has access to ESPN and ESPN2, but the Monday Night Football package is licensed separately, and ESPN has chosen not to include it in YouTube TV's bundle.

This is a licensing issue, not a technical one. Sports broadcasting rights are sold in pieces, and each piece goes to the highest bidder or the platform ESPN negotiates with. Right now, the Monday Night Football package is available through ESPN's own streaming service (ESPN+, with some games also on ABC), cable and satellite providers, and a few other platforms — but YouTube TV is not one of them.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube TV carries ESPN and ESPN2, but Monday Night Football is part of a separate rights package that ESPN has not licensed to YouTube TV.
  • Some Monday Night Football games air on ABC (which YouTube TV does carry), so you can watch those games on YouTube TV if they are scheduled for ABC instead of ESPN.
  • ESPN+ is ESPN's own streaming service and includes some Monday Night Football games, though not all of them.
  • Cable and satellite providers like Comcast, DirecTV, and others still carry the full Monday Night Football schedule on ESPN.
  • Streaming rights for sports change year to year as contracts are renegotiated, so availability may shift in the future.

Which Monday Night Football Games You Can Watch on YouTube TV

Not every Monday Night Football game airs on ESPN. Some games are scheduled for ABC instead, and YouTube TV includes ABC in its base package. If you see a Monday Night Football game listed for ABC, you can watch it on YouTube TV through the ABC channel.

To find out which games are on ABC versus ESPN, check the NFL schedule on NFL.com or ESPN.com. The schedule shows the broadcast network for each game. If it says ABC, you're covered on YouTube TV. If it says ESPN or ESPN2, you'll need a different way to watch.

How to Watch Monday Night Football Without YouTube TV

ESPN+ is the most direct option if you want to stream Monday Night Football. ESPN+ is ESPN's subscription streaming service (separate from YouTube TV), and it includes most Monday Night Football games. You can subscribe to ESPN+ directly through the ESPN app or website. The cost varies, but ESPN offers it as a standalone service or bundled with Hulu and Disney+.

If you have a cable or satellite subscription (Comcast, DirecTV, Charter, Verizon Fios, or another provider), you can watch Monday Night Football through the ESPN app by signing in with your cable credentials. This is called "TV Everywhere" authentication, and it's free if you already pay for cable.

Some Monday Night Football games also air on ABC, which you can watch with an antenna if you have one, or through other streaming services that carry ABC (such as Hulu with Live TV or YouTube TV itself).

Why Sports Rights Are Split Across Platforms

The NFL sells broadcasting rights in packages, and each package goes to whoever wins the bidding or negotiates the best deal. Monday Night Football is one package. Sunday afternoon games are another. Thursday Night Football is a third. Each package can go to a different broadcaster or streaming service.

ESPN paid for the Monday Night Football rights, which means ESPN controls where those games can be shown. ESPN decided to put them on ESPN+ and on cable/satellite providers, but not on YouTube TV. YouTube TV negotiated a deal with ESPN that includes some ESPN content, but not all of it — and Monday Night Football wasn't part of that deal.

This fragmentation is frustrating for viewers, but it's how the sports broadcasting industry works. Rights holders (in this case, the NFL and ESPN) try to maximize revenue by selling to multiple platforms and keeping some content exclusive to their own services.

When YouTube TV's Contract With ESPN Might Change

Streaming rights are not permanent. YouTube TV's contract with ESPN is renegotiated periodically, and the terms can change. It's possible that in a future contract, Monday Night Football could be added to YouTube TV — or it could be removed from other platforms. There's no way to predict this without inside knowledge of the negotiations.

If you rely on YouTube TV for sports, check the channel lineup before you subscribe or renew, and verify that the specific games you want to watch are included. Sports availability is one of the most common reasons people switch streaming services.

Alternatives if You Want All Monday Night Football Games in One Place

If you want to watch every Monday Night Football game without juggling multiple services, a cable or satellite subscription is still the most complete option. Providers like Comcast, DirecTV, and Charter carry the full ESPN schedule, including all Monday Night Football games.

If you want to avoid cable, you could combine ESPN+ (for most Monday Night Football games) with YouTube TV (for other sports and general TV) or another live TV streaming service. This approach costs more than a single service but gives you broader coverage.

Another option is to check which games are on ABC each season and plan to watch those on YouTube TV, then use ESPN+ or cable for the ESPN games. This requires more planning but can work if you're flexible about which games you watch live.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I watch Monday Night Football on ESPN2 through YouTube TV?

YouTube TV carries ESPN2, but Monday Night Football games are not typically broadcast on ESPN2 — they air on ESPN or ABC. If a game is scheduled for ESPN2, you should be able to watch it on YouTube TV, but this is rare. Check the specific game's broadcast network before assuming it will be on ESPN2.

Do all Monday Night Football games air on ABC?

No. Some Monday Night Football games air on ABC, but most air on ESPN. The NFL and ESPN schedule games across both networks. You can watch the ABC games on YouTube TV, but you'll need ESPN+ or cable for the ESPN games.

Is ESPN+ the same as YouTube TV's ESPN channel?

No. ESPN+ is a separate streaming service owned by ESPN. YouTube TV includes the ESPN channel (the linear broadcast), but that's different from ESPN+. You can have YouTube TV without ESPN+, or ESPN+ without YouTube TV. Some content appears on both, but some (like certain Monday Night Football games) is exclusive to ESPN+.

Will YouTube TV add Monday Night Football in the future?

It's possible, but there's no announcement about it. Streaming rights change when contracts are renegotiated, which happens every few years. If this is important to you, check YouTube TV's channel lineup before you subscribe or renew your service.

Can I use a cable login to watch Monday Night Football on the ESPN app if I have YouTube TV?

No. YouTube TV is a streaming service, not a cable subscription. It doesn't give you cable credentials to use with the ESPN app. If you want to use cable login to watch ESPN, you need an actual cable or satellite subscription from a provider like Comcast or DirecTV.