YouTube TV Drops Disney’s ABC, ESPN and Other Networks After Two Sides Fail to Reach New Deal

Google's YouTube TV service has pulled Disney-owned networks including ESPN and ABC from its platform, with the move happening just hours before a deal renewal was set to expire. The dispute centers on price, with Disney seeking rate hikes that Google is unwilling to agree to.

As of 9 p.m. PT yesterday, or midnight ET last night, YouTube TV removed live feeds for ABC, ESPN, and other networks from its service, causing a blackout for millions of subscribers. In addition to dropping the live networks, YouTube TV also deleted any DVR recordings users had made from those channels.

Disney began warning viewers on October 23 that it would pull its content if a deal wasn't reached with YouTube TV by midnight ET on October 31. Google responded by removing the networks, citing a lack of progress in negotiations over price.

The move is likely to cause significant disruptions for sports fans and users who rely on ABC's local stations for news and programming. NFL, college football, NBA, and NHL games will no longer be available, while Disney Channel, Freeform, and other networks are also gone.

YouTube TV has proposed new tiers and flexibility in its packaging, but the two sides have failed to find common ground. Google claims that YouTube TV is seeking a better deal than other providers, including Comcast and Charter, which have more customers.

Disney disputes this claim, saying that YouTube TV is refusing to pay market rates for Disney's networks or agree to terms similar to those reached with its own Hulu + Live TV and Fubo services.

In a statement, a YouTube spokesperson said: "We know this is a frustrating and disappointing outcome for our subscribers... We continue to urge Disney to work with us constructively to reach a fair agreement that restores their networks to YouTube TV. If their content remains off YouTube TV for an extended period of time, we'll offer subscribers a $20 credit."

Disney has accused Google of using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut industry-standard terms.

The move comes as part of a larger battle between Disney and Google over carriage renewal agreements. Other media conglomerates, including Paramount Global, Fox Corp., and NBCUniversal, have reached new deals with Google without a blackout.

In 2023, Disney and Charter resolved their differences over a renewal agreement, while in 2024, ESPN and other Disney networks went dark on DirecTV before reaching a deal. Earlier this month, Disney inked a carriage renewal pact with Comcast without issue.

The dispute is the latest chapter in the long-standing relationship between Disney and Google, which has seen several carriage renewals and blackouts over the years.

I'm so bummed that YouTube TV lost Disney's networks ! I was looking forward to watching all the sports games on ESPN and ABC, but now they're gone. Can you believe it? It's like Google is trying to take advantage of Disney by not paying enough money for their channels. I don't think that's fair at all . And what about all the people who rely on YouTube TV for local news and programming? What are we supposed to do now?

lol what's going on now? youtube tv just pulled all disney networks cuz google couldn't agree on prices lol like they're trying to negotiate or something . but for real though sports fans are gonna lose out big time no more espn or abc live . they gotta find a way to work it out so we can get our sports fix again.

I'm so bummed to hear about YouTube TV pulling Disney's networks... like, what's a sports fan to do?! The blackout is huge for NFL, college football, NBA, and NHL games, not to mention local news and programming on ABC... it's crazy how fast things can change! I feel bad for subscribers who rely on these channels for their daily fix of entertainment. But at the same time, I get why Google isn't willing to give in on price... it's a tough spot for them to be in.

omg what r u gonna do now?? like i know i'm a huge fan of disney n all but google just pulled out on em!! they were supposed to pay market rates n stuff but google was all like nope not me anyway i feel bad 4 the sports fans & ppl who rely on abc's local stations but i guess google just wants 2 keep their prices low

i'm still tryna figure out what's goin on btw why r u guys not gettin along? can't they just compromise or sumthin? like i know google thinks it's got the upper hand w/ its market dominance but Disney's all like no way José ugh this whole thing is so frustrating

This is so annoying! I was looking forward to watching the NBA playoffs on YouTube TV tonight but now it's all gone . The fact that Disney is trying to use its market dominance to get better deals is kinda shady . I mean, come on Google, negotiate like a normal person . And why did they have to blackout so many users at once? That's just cruel . I hope the subscribers get their networks back ASAP .

Oh and btw, $20 credit from YouTube is not enough for me... . I'm thinking of switching to Hulu + Live TV or Fubo services instead . Has anyone else had this experience before? Share your thoughts!

awww, poor sports fans ... just got served with no NFL games on YouTube TV ! but let's look on the bright side - it means they gotta upgrade their streaming game maybe this is an opportunity for Google to innovate and bring even more awesome content to the table ! and Disney gets to renegotiate its rates, who knows they might come out with a better deal ... plus, $20 credit on YouTube TV isn't bad at all

This whole thing is just another example of how the big boys want to control everything, but don't want to play by the rules . I mean, can you blame Disney for not wanting to be taken advantage of? They're trying to negotiate a fair deal and Google's response is basically saying "nope, we'll just pull our networks unless you do what we say" .

It's like they're using their market dominance to strong-arm Disney into agreeing to unfavorable terms. And then they have the nerve to claim that YouTube TV is seeking better deals than other providers? Give me a break! It's all just a big game of chicken, and consumers are the ones who get caught in the middle.

I'd love to see more competition between Google and Disney, but it seems like Google's got the upper hand right now. And what about all those other providers, like Comcast and Charter? Are they just going to sit back and let Google do whatever it wants? It's time for some real accountability here!

This is crazy! I'm shocked that Disney-owned networks like ESPN and ABC are getting pulled from YouTube TV due to a price dispute with Google. It's not just sports fans who will be affected, but also people who rely on local news and programming from these channels. The fact that YouTube TV deleted DVR recordings of these channels is the icing on the cake .

I think it's interesting that other media conglomerates like Paramount Global, Fox Corp., and NBCUniversal have reached new deals with Google without a blackout. This shows that there are more players in this game than just Disney and Google. Maybe YouTube TV was trying to be too clever for its own good?

The whole thing feels like a classic case of David vs Goliath ‍, where YouTube TV is taking on Disney's huge resources and market dominance. I hope both sides can find a way to resolve their differences amicably before the blackout gets extended. Otherwise, it'll be a nightmare for millions of subscribers!

can u blv dis? google & disney are like 2 big kids havin a tantrum 'cause they cant agree on price google's all like "we're good" but really they're just tryna avoid payin' market rates for disney networks lol! meanwhile, sports fans r stuck in the dark

Ugh man... this is so annoying! I just got my YouTube TV set up last month and now all the Disney networks are gone? It's like they took the whole sports package away from me and I'm left with nothing but Netflix shows to watch .

And it's not just about the content, it's about the $10 a month extra that Disney is asking for. Google says that's too much and it's going to be unfair to other providers who have more customers. But Disney is like "nope we're worth more than that".

I get it, they want a fair price but this whole thing feels like Google is just trying to screw over Disney to keep their own market dominance. It's like they're using their power to dictate terms and force other providers to follow suit. And it sucks for the subscribers who lose access to all these great channels .

Can't they just negotiate in good faith? Is that too much to ask?

Ugh I don't think it's surprising that Disney & Google can't come to an agreement. They're like two strong horses pulling in opposite directions . Both sides have valid points, but at the end of the day, someone's gotta give . YouTube TV has some great deals on offer, including new tiers and flexibility, so I think they should try to find a middle ground . But Disney's not going to back down from asking for fair compensation . It's a shame for all the sports fans who are now stuck without their favorite channels... NFL, college football, NBA & NHL games are basically gone . Hope Google comes up with a solution soon

so google and disney can't agree on price, but it's kinda weird that they're going to offer a $20 credit to subscribers who lose their favorite channels... feels like google is just trying to save face and still keep people hooked i'm not sure what the real issue is here, both parties seem to be digging in their heels. and it's annoying for sports fans who can't watch games without having multiple subscriptions now

Ugh, what's up with these huge companies trying to screw each other over? So now YouTube TV is basically useless for sports fans who rely on ESPN and ABC... I mean, can't they just negotiate a fair deal like everyone else? It's not like Google is trying to take down Disney or anything, but apparently, it feels like that's what's going on here. And now YouTube TV is offering a $20 credit if the networks stay off... sounds like they're just trying to make up for losing the deal, you know?