YouTube TV Drops Disney-Owned Networks: What You Need to Know

This morning, YouTube TV subscribers arose to a harsh realization: with no warning, their hard-earned subscription dollars were no longer enough to give them access to any Disney-owned networks - including ESPN and ABC - on the platform. This disappointing result for millions is due to YouTube TV's repeated refusal to negotiate in good faith with The Walt Disney Company (TWDC), a key provider of not only an industry-leading content slate highlighted by top sports programming, but also of YouTube TV's growth.

For decades, Disney's programming has been a cornerstone of the pay TV experience, especially for sports, news, and live events. Despite this, YouTube TV is demanding preferential treatment with lower rates and rejecting terms accepted by other partners, including Disney's own services like Hulu + Live TVand Fubo.

At the heart of this dispute is the insistence of YouTube TV to strong-arm Disney into a deal that ignores market rates, industry standards, and Disney's repeated proposals of flexible and innovative deals that would not only benefit both sides, but - most importantly - millions of consumers.

According to a Disney spokesperson: "Unfortunately, Google's YouTube TV has chosen to deny their subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC. Without a new agreement in place, their subscribers will not have access to our programming, which includes the best lineup in live sports - anchored by the NFL, NBA, and college football, with 13 of the top 25 college teams playing this weekend. 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. We know how frustrating this is for YouTube TV subscribers and remain committed to working toward a resolution as quickly as possible."

Those loyal viewers are now blocked from watching marquee Disney sports and entertainment. At ESPN and ABC in particular, Disney has made significant investments in programming, including the best line-up of live sports in the industry - bar none. On ABC alone, Disney has increased the number of sports and live event programming by nearly 80% over the past several years and has also aired 9 of the top 10 broadcast college football games on YouTube TV so far this season [Source: Nielsen]. In addition to college football, the incredible lineup for this weekend also includes a double header of NWSL games on ESPN, and leads right into Monday Night Footballfeaturing the Arizona Cardinals vs. the Dallas Cowboys on ABC. And that's all before men's and women's college basketball begins next week, and NBA games resume on Wednesday.

That's in addition to Disney's acclaimed entertainment and news programming - such as ABC's top-rated High Potential, Dancing with the Stars, Good Morning America(celebrating its historic 50th anniversary this Monday), and World News Tonight with David Muir, the nation's leading nightly news broadcast.

Disney Networks Drive Viewership and Value

Whether negotiating with legacy providers or digital juggernauts, Disney has a long and proven history of forging innovative, market-based agreements that benefit all parties, andgive consumers the best array of options for their subscription fees.

Despite this, YouTube TV stands alone in refusing to renew its deal under fair and consistent terms - leaving millions of subscribers in the dark.

This is even though Disney's vast programming slate across its wide swath of channels has in large part helped fuel YouTube TV's recent rise as a dominant over-the-top streaming service.

Data from Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement and analytics, highlights the increasing importance of Disney content on YouTube TV. Viewership of TWDC networks on YouTube TV households is up by more than 15% year-over-year*.

Disney's marquee networks ESPN and ABC also provide uniquely strong value. ESPN is the #1 cable networkamong Adults 18-49 on YouTube TV**, and ABC is the most-watched networkin college football, delivering 3.5 million more viewerson average than any other network, with fans watching more minutes on ABC than all other broadcast networks combined. ABC has also aired 9 of the top 10 broadcast college football gameson YouTube TV so far this season.

And contrary to YouTube TV's claims, Disney has proposed new genre services and packaging flexibility that would result in more consumer choice and less cost for their subscribers.

What Options Do Consumers Have?

Disney remains committed to reaching a fair resolution that restores access for YouTube TV subscribers. In the meantime, viewers can continue enjoying Disney programming through other providers, including DirecTV, Fios, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Spectrum, Xfinity, and many more.

For additional information and alternative viewing options specific to your area, please visit KeepMyNetworks.com.

*Based on gross minutes viewed dating back to 2020

**Based on Oct 24-Sep 25