UPDATE: Network Outage: Due to ongoing negotiations failing, ABC, ESPN, and various other Disney networks are no longer available on YouTube TV.
Deviating from standard industry practice, the channels were removed from YouTube TV just after 11:15 p.m. ET, ahead of the midnight deadline when the existing contract was set to expire. Insiders close to the situation revealed to Deadline that YouTube needed extra time to shut down the channels operationally and to inform their subscribers accordingly.
This prolonged and bitter dispute now means that approximately 10 million YouTube TV subscribers are missing out on key ABC broadcasts during prime-time Thursday, with significant sports events like college football also at risk.
Unlike typical TV carrier disputes, the involvement of a significant tech entity like YouTube has altered the dynamics of this conflict. When the channels disappeared on Thursday, they were removed from users’ “Home” and “Live” tabs without any explanation, a departure from the usual on-screen messages explaining the unavailability of certain channels. Attempting to search for Disney shows will display an icon but no option to watch them live.
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YouTube TV, unlike traditional pay-TV services, employs algorithms that tailor programming to the viewer’s preferences, significantly reducing the need for channel surfing.
EARLIER:
As negotiations continued to stall, ABC, ESPN, and other Disney channels were on the brink of a blackout on YouTube TV as of late Thursday, potentially affecting around 10 million subscribers with a loss of access to college football, NBA, and other content.
Despite active discussions and warnings from Disney about a possible blackout, an impasse remains. The current contract was due to end at midnight on Thursday Eastern time.
“Regrettably, Google’s YouTube TV has decided to withhold from their customers the programming they value most by refusing to agree to reasonable terms for our channels, including ESPN and ABC,” Disney stated. “With a market cap of $3 trillion, Google is leveraging its market dominance to stifle competition and offer terms below industry standards that we’ve established with all other distributors. We understand the inconvenience this causes for YouTube TV subscribers and are dedicated to resolving this issue promptly.”
A representative from YouTube explained to Deadline, “Disney previously used the threat of a blackout as a bargaining chip to push for terms that would necessitate price increases for our customers. They have now enacted this threat by pulling their content from YouTube TV. This move directly disadvantages our subscribers while favoring their own live TV services, such as Hulu + Live TV and Fubo. We find this situation frustrating and disappointing for our subscribers and continue to encourage Disney to engage constructively to restore their networks to YouTube TV.”
YouTube mentioned that if Disney’s content remains unavailable on YouTube TV “for an extended period,” though not specified, subscribers will receive a $20 credit on their bills.
This dispute with Disney marks the fifth major distribution conflict YouTube TV has faced in 2025, and the fourth within the last three months. While last-minute agreements were reached with NBCUniversal, Paramount, and Fox Corp. to keep their networks available, Univision has been unavailable since the end of September.
Over the past four years, Disney networks have experienced blackouts in negotiations with major distributors like Charter, DirecTV, Sling, and now YouTube TV. The dispute with Charter was particularly notable as it occurred during key broadcasts such as college football and the U.S. Open tennis, gaining significant media attention. A resolution was reached just before the start of the NFL season on ESPN and ABC, serving as a potential model for future agreements that span both linear and streaming platforms.
In terms of content, subscribers of YouTube TV are set to miss an important lineup of college football games on Saturday, including a high-profile game between Vanderbilt and Texas. Other major games featuring top teams like Georgia, Ole Miss, and Miami are also scheduled. Prime-time shows on ABC and other networks, such as ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and Shark Tank, and FX’s The Lowdown, will also be unavailable, although they remain accessible via streaming platforms. Dancing is available live on Disney+, and it, along with Shark Tank and The Lowdown, is available the day after airing on Hulu.
Even as Disney continues to focus on streaming, maintaining Disney+ and Hulu, the company has launched a new ESPN streaming service which offers access to over a dozen linear channels along with exclusive streaming content. Some pay-TV partners have allowed their subscribers to access the new ESPN app at no additional cost, but YouTube TV is among those who do not offer this benefit.
Sources familiar with these negotiations and the ongoing standoff claim that YouTube TV has been using its technological edge and growth as leverage in each round of talks. One major sticking point has been YouTube TV’s request to integrate programming from media companies’ streaming services directly into its user interface, a move that many media companies view as a direct threat to their burgeoning direct-to-consumer ventures.
Amid these tensions, two significant developments occurred just before the deadline. Disney finalized its acquisition of a 70% stake in Fubo, combining its pay-TV operations with those of Hulu + Live TV to form a more formidable competitor to YouTube TV. Together, Hulu Live and Fubo now serve about 6 million subscribers in North America, ranking them sixth among pay-TV distributors.
Additionally, a lawsuit filed by Disney against YouTube last June over the hiring of Justin Connolly, a former long-time executive at Disney and ESPN, was settled. While the judge did not consider it a case of poaching, a settlement was reached. Connolly, who had been involved in early discussions about renewing the distribution agreement with YouTube, now represents Disney in these negotiations.
Robert Walker
This is turning out to be an inconvenience that I will not be able to look past. YouTube TV needs to make a decision. ESPN was a major reason that I subscribed. I am not sure if I am willing to keep subscribing without ESPN.
Mooonchild
They’ll eventually settle and then pass along the outrageous cost and price hikes to the subscribers. As always. Greed is alive and well.