NBC to stream Big Ten game for free on YouTube this Saturday

Even before NBC and YouTube begin their partnership to bundle Peacock into YouTube Premium in early 2027, the two companies are finding ways to link up. This weekend, that means NBC Sports will stream a Big Ten football game live on its YouTube channel at no cost.

On Saturday, NBC Sports will stream the Eastern Michigan-Wisconsin game live, for free, on its YouTube channel.

The stream is part of NBC's larger partnership with YouTube announced earlier this summer. As part of the deal integrating Peacock into YouTube Premium, NBC revealed that "a selection of live sporting events" would stream on their YouTube channel. At the time of the announcement, the network did not specify which events would be selected to stream on the Google-owned platform. Eastern Michigan-Wisconsin will mark the first event to stream on YouTube under the agreement.

The news is a great development for fans. Before the game showed up as scheduled on NBC Sports' YouTube channel, the only ways to watch would have been through Peacock or NBC Sports Network, the revived cable network that airs Peacock-exclusive live sports on a limited number of pay-TV providers. Now, Eastern Michigan and Wisconsin fans can catch the game for free on YouTube without paying for a Peacock subscription.

It's unclear if NBC plans to stream any more Big Ten football games on YouTube this season. Regardless, the decision to put Saturday's game on the platform shows there's at least a willingness to place somewhat notable inventory on YouTube, rather than only niche properties.