YouTube TV, Disney Finally Reach Deal. ESPN, ABC Content Returns to Streamer

UPDATE 11/14: YouTube says it’s reached a deal with Disney to return its content to its live TV streaming service. “Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN, and FX returning to their service over the course of the day,” YouTube tweeted. “Thanks for your patience and for being a valued member.”

If this spat hasn’t you worried about future blackouts, however, we have a few options below.

The Best YouTube TV Alternatives

If sports are your top priority, check out our top picks for NFL live streaming. Fox and ESPN also recently debuted their own sports-streaming services. Fox One subscriptions start at $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year. ESPN starts at $19.99 per month. Or you can bundle Fox One and ESPN for $39.99 per month.

Hulu With Live TV

Hulu is a top-tier video streaming service that combines live TV, on-demand content, and plenty of entertaining originals for a true all-in-one entertainment platform.

Fubo

An excellent streaming service for sports fans that also features many appealing news and entertainment channels for mainstream audiences.

Sling TV

Sling TV is a reliable live TV service that offers numerous channel options and a free tier, but it’s strangely segmented and lacks some local stations.

DirecTV

A reliable live streaming experience with regional sports networks and DVR options, but its plans are much pricier than the competition.

Original Story:
Bad news for YouTube TV subscribers: A significant chunk of video programming from ABC and ESPN is unavailable due to Google and Disney’s inability to reach a licensing deal. 

YouTube TV lost access to Disney content late last month, including the Disney Channel, FX, and Nat Geo, following a breakdown in negotiations to renew the content licensing. Parent company Google recently issued $20 credits to make up for it, but the two sides appear to be at a stalemate.

“We’ve been working in good faith to negotiate a deal with Disney that pays them fairly for their content and returns their programming to YouTube TV,” Google said over the weekend. “We know it’s been disappointing to lose Disney content, and we want you to know we deeply appreciate your patience.”

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The streamer acknowledged that some people might want to cancel their subscriptions over this, but says “we will keep negotiating with Disney to restore their channels on YouTube TV.”

(Credit: Google)

Google is placing the blame on the Mickey Mouse company. “Unfortunately, Disney is proposing costly economic terms that would raise prices on YouTube TV customers and give our customers fewer choices, while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products—like Hulu + Live TV and, soon, Fubo,” the company wrote in a blog post. 

(To settle a Fubo lawsuit over the now-defunct Venu sports-streaming service, Disney just closed a $220 million deal under which it will own 70% of Fubo and Fubo will launch a new service featuring Disney’s sports networks.)

Disney tells the Associated Press that Google refuses to pay a fair rate for valuable content 

“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,” the company reportedly said. 

Disney has also been lobbying consumers to complain to YouTube TV. Even ESPN host Scott Van Pelt tweeted a link to a dedicated web page that offers various ways customers can reach the Google-owned service.

According to Deadline, Disney asked Google to restore ABC on Tuesday so people can tune into Election Day coverage. It declined, arguing that it would “cause customer confusion among those who may briefly see ABC on YouTube TV only to lose it again shortly after.”

YouTube TV is already fairly pricey at $82.99 per month for the base plan, which increased from $72.99 per month nearly a year ago.

Google’s support page also notes: “Recordings of Disney content (on YouTube TV accounts) will be removed. If we’re able to reach an agreement with Disney and bring their content back to YouTube TV, subscribers will regain access to recordings that were previously in their library.”

We just went through this in August with YouTube TV and Fox; the two reached a deal before channels were dropped.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Senior Reporter

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Experience

I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.

Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

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