Question: Am I ‘misogynist’ because I don’t want YouTube TV adding WNBA games to my multiview experience?

YouTube TV stirred up major backlash Sunday night when it forced viewers into a multiview experience that included the WNBA Finals alongside the Jets-Steelers NFL game and the Mets-Dodgers NLCS game.

Multiview, YouTube TV’s split-screen option, has been widely celebrated as a game-changer for sports fans. It allows viewers to watch multiple games simultaneously, making it perfect for jam-packed sports nights.

However, it became a source of frustration this weekend when subscribers were given no choice but to have the WNBA Finals as part of their multiview lineup.

Subscribers weren’t given the option to opt out or customize their viewing experience, despite the fact that YouTube TV prominently sponsored the WNBA Finals. With an estimated 8 million subscribers, this move left many feeling like they were being forced to boost the WNBA’s ratings.

This is what YouTube TV multiview users were forced to watch:

https://twitter.com/StutteringCraig/status/1848180346631729178

I guess this is what happens when you’re a sponsor of a women’s basketball league that lost $40 million in revenue this season, right?

Social media lit up with complaints from viewers who felt that YouTube TV was prioritizing its sponsorship over customer experience. Many users were upset at having the WNBA game forced onto their screens, with no option to remove it.

https://twitter.com/mickbryan67/status/1848180232832024963

On Reddit, defenders of the decision—dubbed the “woke mob” by critics—dismissed the outrage, encouraging viewers to either deal with it or switch providers. One user quipped, “It’s the last WNBA game of the season, just deal with it,” while another sarcastically suggested, “Why don’t you just tape up a piece of paper over the women so you won’t be so triggered?”

YT T.V. Wants me to watch #WNBA on the multi-view option in order to watch NLCS and SNF .. They literally have to force their ratings 😂😂 #nothanks pic.twitter.com/EnEvO7R7iv

— BlueCollarBaller (@DatMattGuy3_0) October 21, 2024

Viewers have questioned whether YouTube TV’s decision to bundle the WNBA Finals with the NFL and MLB games was an attempt to inflate the WNBA’s TV ratings, a strategy that has been used in the past by networks and sponsors looking to boost viewership of certain programs. Whether this was a tactical ratings play or a mere misstep in programming remains to be seen.

.@YouTubeTV why am I forced to watch WNBA on multi-view? Enough with the woke agenda, let me watch what I want to. Charging $70+/month and can’t pick my screens. Despicable

— 🅿️ablo Sanchobar (@secondtake_2) October 21, 2024

For many sports fans, this incident is a reminder that streaming services, no matter how innovative, can put corporate interests over user preferences.

The controversy has left subscribers questioning whether YouTube TV’s multiview will continue to be a convenient feature or a potential source of annoyance in the future.

Can’t split screen Sunday Night Football & The NLCS without being force fed the WNBA. No option to not have it there. When they claim to have a ratings boost, this is why. pic.twitter.com/TsorJHeuWM

— West Village Guy (@VillageWest14) October 21, 2024

As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: viewers don’t want to be forced to watch something they didn’t ask for—no matter how woke or unwoke the programming might be.

LMAO….YouTube TV is forcing WNBA to be one of your views in multiview…and people are IRATE 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/ZoXbx2wxZp

— Premier Kicks and Collectibles (@premierkicks_2) October 21, 2024

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