November 11, 2025, 9:08 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Sky is trying an experiment on YouTube: For the first time, the pay-TV broadcaster is offering individual sports broadcasts in a pay-per-view format. The kickoff is the tennis year-end final in Turin–the ATP Finals 2025.
Streaming platforms are becoming increasingly important for sports broadcasts, and now Sky is taking a step in a new direction. The pay-TV provider is experimenting with alternative payment models, using YouTube as a testing ground for the first time. The goal is to offer viewers more flexibility and adapt its offerings to modern viewing habits.
Flexible Streaming Instead of Subscription Obligation
From November 9 to 16, fans can watch the matches of the ATP Finals 2025 live on the YouTube channel “Sky Sport Tennis“–without a subscription or Sky login. All games are available via livestream, with sports fans able to choose between a Single Match Access or a Day Pass Access. This allows Sky viewers to decide flexibly whether they want to watch just a single game or the entire tennis day.
Despite the generally positive expansion of the broadcast model, one fact leaves a bitter taste. Shortly after launching its new pay-per-view offering on YouTube, Sky unexpectedly raised prices. Instead of the announced 1.99 euros, a single match stream now costs 2.49 euros. The broadcaster refers to this as a “short-term change in pricing.” However, day passes remain unchanged at 3.49 euros, and there is no complete package for the entire tournament week.
Sky Tests New Payment Model
With the YouTube offering, Sky aims to test the level of interest in flexible single passes. The games are commented on by Boris Becker, Andrea Petkovic, and Philipp Kohlschreiber, among others. Booking is done directly through the official YouTube channel of Sky Sport Tennis, with payment processed directly through Google’s platform.
The new model could serve as a trial run for future sports events for Sky and a potential alternative to traditional subscriptions, offering more freedom especially to casual viewers. The aim is to appeal to occasional viewers who only want to follow specific sports events. Whether the pay-per-view offering will continue or expand after the ATP Finals remains open–the price increase, however, indicates that Sky is still fine-tuning the right balance for its new distribution channel.