Particle.news
Download on the App Store
38 ARTICLES
·
13h ago

Disney Pulls ESPN and ABC From YouTube TV as Carriage Fight Hits College Football Weekend

Negotiations have stalled over pricing plus carriage terms for ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service.

Image
Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit speak during the broadcast of ESPN's College GameDay at Vanderbilt University on October 25, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Image
Image

Overview

  • More than 20 Disney-owned networks, including ABC, ESPN, FX, Freeform and Nat Geo, went dark on YouTube TV after the distribution deal expired late Oct. 30.
  • Roughly 10 million subscribers lost access, and many reported disappearing DVR recordings tied to the affected channels.
  • Talks include pricing, genre-based channel bundles and inclusion of the new ESPN Unlimited service, with each side accusing the other of unreasonable demands.
  • ESPN made College GameDay free on X and in the ESPN app and urged viewers to contact YouTube TV via KeepMyNetworks, drawing backlash from some fans.
  • YouTube TV pledged a one-time $20 credit if the blackout persists, and viewers are turning to alternatives such as Fubo, DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV for this weekend’s games.