Overview
- The outage began Oct. 30 when YouTube TV said it would stop carrying Disney-owned networks, pulling ABC, ESPN, FX, National Geographic and Disney Channel from the service.
- Subscribers missed marquee events including a Monday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals and a full Saturday of college football.
- Frustration has intensified online as ESPN personalities urged viewers to pressure YouTube TV, a tactic that drew blowback from fans and even comments from former NFL star JJ Watt.
- The dispute centers on carriage fees and packaging terms and reflects a broader shift as Google’s YouTube, which holds NFL Sunday Ticket, and other tech giants expand their sports rights portfolios.
- Industry analysis expects a deal to restore channels, with the likely outcome being higher costs for subscribers already paying about $82.99 per month for YouTube TV.