In a major disruption for television viewers, YouTube TV officially announced on Thursday that it has pulled all Disney-owned networks, including heavy-hitters like ESPN and ABC, from its platform. The blackout began at midnight ET after the two corporate giants failed to reach an agreement on a new licensing deal.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube TV clarified its stance: “Our contract with Disney has reached its renewal date, and we’ll not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s TV products.”
The Core of the Dispute
The failure to renew the contract stems from a bitter disagreement over carriage fees and deal terms. Both sides released sharp statements accusing the other of prioritizing corporate gain over consumer benefit.
- YouTube TV’s Position: A spokesperson for the Google-owned service accused Disney of using the “threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers.” They asserted that the decision to suspend content “directly harms our subscribers while benefiting their own live TV products, including Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.”
- Disney’s Counter-Argument: A Disney spokesperson hit back, claiming that with a “$3 trillion market cap, Google is using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we’ve successfully negotiated with every other distributor.”
Impact on Subscribers and Channels
The blackout affects subscribers nationwide, leaving them without a vast range of essential programming, especially live sports and news, with the NFL, NBA, and college football seasons currently underway.
YouTube TV’s base subscription plan currently costs $82.99/month. In an effort to mitigate customer frustration, Google announced that if Disney’s networks remain unavailable for “an extended period of time,” they will offer affected subscribers a one-time $20 credit.
The full list of networks removed from YouTube TV includes:
- ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews
- Freeform, FX, FXX, FXM
- Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD
- SEC Network, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild
- ABC News Live, ACC Network, Localish
- On the Spanish plan: ESPN Deportes, Baby TV Español, and Nat Geo Mundo
A History of Last-Minute Deals
The clash with Disney is the latest in a series of difficult negotiations for YouTube TV this year. However, the streaming service had previously managed to secure last-minute deals to prevent similar blackouts:
- Earlier this month, Google successfully reached an agreement with Comcast-owned NBCUniversal to maintain channels carrying major programming like Sunday Night Football and America’s Got Talent.
- The company also successfully struck deals with Fox and Paramount earlier in the year.
This current standoff with Disney, a rival in the streaming live TV space, highlights the increasing tension between content owners and distribution platforms over the rising cost of programming.