Overview
- YouTube TV users lost access to ABC, ESPN, FX, Freeform, Nat Geo and other Disney-owned channels after the agreement expired late Oct. 30.
- Roughly 9.4–10 million subscribers are affected nationwide, with negotiations ongoing and no public timetable for a deal.
- YouTube says it will issue a one-time $20 credit if the blackout persists for an extended period, calling Disney’s demands too costly for customers.
- Disney executives accuse YouTube TV of deleting subscribers’ DVR recordings during the cutover and say Google is using its market power to undercut standard terms.
- Sticking points reported include Disney’s sought-after fee increases, terms tied to the new ESPN Unlimited service, and YouTube’s push for different packaging and ingestion rights, leaving NFL Sunday Ticket add-on buyers unable to cancel base plans without losing access.