Overview
- Disney networks including ESPN and ABC have been off YouTube TV since Oct. 31, affecting an estimated 9–10 million subscribers.
- YouTube TV is offering a one-time $20 credit, which most subscribers must manually claim in the service’s Updates section, though some accounts receive it automatically.
- Morgan Stanley pegs the revenue hit to Disney at roughly $30 million per week, and some analysts predict the dispute could be resolved later this week.
- Industry reporting indicates general alignment on ESPN rates but continuing friction over ABC pricing, most-favored-nation and size-based terms, and the inclusion of ancillary non-sports channels such as FX, Freeform and National Geographic.
- Talks have drawn in top executives Bob Iger and Sundar Pichai, with public pressure rising after missed NFL and college football games and the FCC chair calling for a deal.