YouTube TV and Disney Reach Agreement to Restore Channels After Dispute
YouTube TV and Disney announced on Friday that they have reached a new agreement to restore the broadcast of channels owned by Disney, including ABC and ESPN, to the streaming platform, effectively ending a two-week dispute that left subscribers unable to view significant sports events.
The disagreement began on October 31, resulting in the removal of over 20 Disney-owned channels from YouTube TV. This interruption impacted viewers' access to live broadcasts of major sporting events, including college football games and two Monday Night Football matches. The channels affected included ABC, ESPN, FX, National Geographic, Disney Channel, and Freeform.
In an official statement, YouTube expressed satisfaction with the agreement, stating: "We are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with Disney that maintains the value of our service for our subscribers and provides future flexibility in our offerings. Subscribers should see the channels, including ABC, ESPN, and FX, return to their service throughout the day, along with any recordings that were previously in their library. We apologize for the interruption and appreciate subscribers' patience while negotiating on their behalf."
Disney officials also welcomed the agreement, affirming that it aligns with audience expectations. Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, co-chairs of Disney Entertainment, along with Jimmy Pitaro, president of ESPN, noted that the agreement reflects "the way audiences choose to consume entertainment content."
They added: "We are pleased that our networks have returned in time for fans to enjoy this week's programming, including college football games."
The dispute primarily revolved around the fees Disney charges YouTube TV for broadcasting its channels, with ESPN being the most expensive, costing over $10 per month for each subscriber of paid television services.
During the dispute, YouTube TV offered subscribers a $15 credit to their accounts as compensation for the interruption.
Additionally, the agreement provides subscribers access to the ESPN Unlimited package, which includes content from ESPN+ and new digital content expected later this year, at no extra cost until the end of 2026.
YouTube clarified that the agreement also provides future options for programming offerings with Disney and other partners.
This is not the first instance of YouTube TV facing disputes with major media companies; a similar situation occurred last October with NBCUniversal, and a dispute with the Fox network in August nearly resulted in the removal of channels such as Fox News and Fox Sports.
