diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py
index 35ef4c3035..2c02da2b73 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py
@@ -541,16 +541,21 @@ class YoutubeIE(YoutubeBaseInfoExtractor, SubtitlesInfoExtractor):
         if cache_spec is not None:
             return lambda s: ''.join(s[i] for i in cache_spec)
 
+        download_note = (
+            'Downloading player %s' % player_url
+            if self._downloader.params.get('verbose') else
+            'Downloading %s player %s' % (player_type, player_id)
+        )
         if player_type == 'js':
             code = self._download_webpage(
                 player_url, video_id,
-                note='Downloading %s player %s' % (player_type, player_id),
+                note=download_note,
                 errnote='Download of %s failed' % player_url)
             res = self._parse_sig_js(code)
         elif player_type == 'swf':
             urlh = self._request_webpage(
                 player_url, video_id,
-                note='Downloading %s player %s' % (player_type, player_id),
+                note=download_note,
                 errnote='Download of %s failed' % player_url)
             code = urlh.read()
             res = self._parse_sig_swf(code)