Disney Yanks ESPN, ABC, and More from YouTube TV After Contract Talks Collapse Ahead of Major Sports Weekend

Millions of YouTube TV subscribers awoke to a blackout of major Disney-owned channels—including ESPN, ABC, FX and National Geographic—after contract negotiations between Disney and YouTube TV broke down late Thursday night. The dispute is over carriage fees, with both companies pointing fingers and accusing each other of making unreasonable demands.

Disney said YouTube TV refused to pay the fair market rate for its suite of channels. YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc.'s Google, countered that Disney's proposed terms would have set a higher cost for subscribers. Disney responded by pulling its content from the platform just before a jam-packed weekend of college football and other live sports.

The timing couldn’t be worse. With the NFL, college football, and NBA seasons in full swing, the loss of ESPN and ABC is a major blow to sports fans. YouTube TV, which boasts over 10 million subscribers, now faces pressure to resolve the standoff or risk losing customers to competitors that still carry Disney’s channels.

Both companies have expressed a willingness to continue negotiations, but no timeline has been given for a resolution. In the meantime, viewers are left in the lurch, many voicing frustration on social media and investigating other streaming options.

This tension reflects a growing dispute in the streaming industry where the rising costs of content and shifting viewer habits lead to more frequent and disruptive carriage disputes.