Overview
- Disney’s linear networks, including ABC and ESPN, have been off YouTube TV for roughly 12–13 days as of Nov. 12, affecting about 10 million subscribers.
- A YouTube TV spokesperson says the sides are aligned on ESPN’s rate, with the primary sticking point now the price and carriage terms for ABC and some ancillary networks.
- YouTube TV is issuing a one-time $20 bill credit, applied automatically for some Google Play or carrier-billed users and claimable by others via the Service Updates page or an emailed link.
- Negotiations feature senior leadership and reportedly include YouTube TV’s push to lock in growth-based discounts later, a request complicated by industry most-favored-nation clauses.
- With Disney’s earnings call set for Thursday, some analysts foresee a near-term resolution, but no agreement has been announced and live sports and entertainment remain disrupted.