NEW YORK (AP) — Disney content has disappeared from YouTube TV, leaving subscribers of the Google-owned live streaming platform without access to major networks like ESPN and ABC.
This is because the companies failed to reach a new licensing agreement to keep Disney channels on YouTube TV. Depending on how long it lasts, the dispute could particularly disrupt coverage of US college football matchups over the weekend, as well as NBA and NFL games, in addition to other disruptions in news and entertainment that have already arrived.
Meanwhile, YouTube TV subscribers who want to watch Disney channels will have no choice but to turn to the company’s own platforms, which come with their own prices.
This is what we know.
Why isn’t Disney content on YouTube TV today?
Disney content was removed from YouTube TV after a carriage deal expired on Thursday. The two parties have been unable to reach a new agreement to continue licensing Disney channels on the platform, resulting in the current blackout.
YouTube TV says Disney is proposing terms that would be too expensive, resulting in higher prices and fewer options for its subscribers. The Google streamer accused Disney of following through on “the threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic,” and claims the move also benefits Disney’s own streaming products like Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.
Meanwhile, Disney says YouTube TV has refused to pay fair rates for its channels and therefore chooses to “deny its subscribers the content they value most.” The California entertainment giant also accused Google of “using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undermine the industry standard terms we have successfully negotiated with all other distributors.”
What channels are affected?
ESPN and ABC are among the largest networks that YouTube TV subscribers can no longer access amid the dispute.
And beyond those top news and sports offerings, other Disney-owned content now hidden on the platform includes channels specific to US college sports regions, such as the Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference. NatGeo and FX are also affected.
Here’s a summary of the full list outlined by YouTube TV:
Google says streaming add-ons like 4K Plus and Spanish Plus are also affected.
Where else can I watch ESPN and ABC?
Consumers can still watch Disney sports programming on the company’s ESPN offerings, but it will cost extra. For streaming, the network launched its own platform earlier this year under the same ESPN name, starting at $29.99 a month.
Other Disney content can be found on platforms like Hulu, Disney+, and Fubo. Again, these come with their own price tags. Disney also allows people to bundle ESPN along with Hulu and Disney+ for $35.99 a month, or $29.99 a month for the first year.
But if you are a YouTube TV subscriber and do not have these additional subscribers, or want to pay more in the meantime, you will be left without access to this Disney content while the impasse lasts. YouTube TV said it would give subscribers a $20 credit if Disney content was unavailable “for an extended period.”
The basic YouTube TV subscription plan costs $82.99 per month. Beyond Disney content, the platform currently offers live TV from networks like NBC, CBS, Fox, BBC, PBS, Hallmark, Food Network and more.
How long could the dispute last?
YouTube TV and Disney have acknowledged that the outage is frustrating and both maintain that they are still committed to finding a solution. But only time will tell.
The current outage marks the latest in a growing list of licensing disputes affecting consumers’ access to content.
From sporting events to award shows, live programming once reserved for streaming has increasingly made its way into the streaming world over the years, as more and more consumers abandon traditional cable or satellite TV subscriptions to access content they can get online. But renewing transportation agreements can also mean tense contract negotiations, particularly amid growing competition in the space.
YouTube TV and Disney have been down this road before. In 2021, YouTube TV subscribers also briefly lost access to all Disney content on the platform after a similar contract breakdown between the two companies. That interruption lasted less than two days and the companies finally reached an agreement.
Some past impasses have been shorter and limited to a matter of hours, or have found a way to temporarily protect themselves from last-minute disruptions. In August, for example, YouTube TV reached a “short-term extension” in its contract dispute with Fox, and the two subsequently reached a new licensing agreement.