It’s that time again, folks. YouTube TV is locked in another heated staredown, this time with Disney, and key channels like ESPN and ABC hang in the balance.
Here we go again: Disney channels might disappear from YouTube TV
Just when we got over the NBC dispute, a new contract fight is here. Disney's broadcast deal with YouTube TV is set to expire on October 30, and if a new deal isn't struck, subscribers will lose access to major channels.
And we're not just talking about the Disney Channel. This includes the entire ESPN lineup, local ABC affiliates, and more. Disney is already running on-air messages to YouTube TV customers, warning them of the deadline. In a statement to CNBC, Disney accused Google of "exploiting its position at the expense of their own customers," highlighting the loss of marquee programming like the NFL, college football, NBA, and NHL seasons.
Google, naturally, has a different story. They claim Disney is demanding "costly economic terms" that would force another price hike for all subscribers. They also pointedly note that Disney’s terms would benefit "Disney’s own live TV products – like Hulu + Live TV." If the channels do go dark for an "extended period," Google says it will offer a $20 credit.
We've been working in good faith to negotiate a deal with Disney that pays them fairly for their content on YouTube TV. Unfortunately, Disney is proposing costly economic terms that would raise prices on YouTube TV customers and give our customers fewer choices, while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products - like Hulu + Live TV and, soon, Fubo. Without an agreement, we'll have to remove Disney’s content from YouTube TV and if it remains unavailable for an extended period of time, we will offer subscribers a $20 credit.
— YouTube Team's statement on Disney on YouTube TV, October, 23rd, 2025
This isn't just another contract spat
The loss of some sports programming will be the real crux for most subscribers. | Image credit — Google
Losing a channel is one thing, but losing the entire ESPN suite right in the middle of football and the start of the NBA/NHL seasons is a critical blow for sports fans that pay to watch this content. This is the kind of channel loss that actually makes people jump ship.
But the most important part of this whole fight is that "Hulu + Live TV" comment from Google. This is the real rub. Google is negotiating with a company that also owns one of its biggest and most direct competitors. It puts Google in a tough spot: either pay what Disney demands (and possibly fund their competition) or refuse and risk losing subscribers to that competition.
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It’s a bit of a mess and shows just how tangled the streaming world has become. This isn't like the recent spats with NBC or Fox; Google is negotiating with a company that has a massive, vested interest in seeing YouTube TV fail.
Are Disney channels (ESPN, FX, ABC, National Geographic, Disney channel) important to have in your programming?
Yes, very.
58.82%
Yes, somewhat.
11.76%
No, not at all.
29.41%
As a customer, I'm just tired
Honestly? This is exhausting. As a customer, it feels like we're just pawns in these constant corporate battles. We saw this with NBC and Fox, and now with Disney. These last-minute threats and public mud-slinging matches are the new normal, and it’s deeply frustrating.
The original promise of streaming TV was supposed to be flexibility and lower costs, but we're just rebuilding the old, bloated cable bundle on a new platform, complete with the exact same carriage dispute drama.
Who’s right? It's impossible to say from the outside. But a $20 credit, while a nice gesture, doesn't really fix the problem. My guess is they’ll come to an agreement at the 11th hour, just like the others. But we'll all have to go through this panic again in a few months.
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