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ABC, ESPN, and several other Disney-owned networks have officially gone dark on YouTube TV following a breakdown in contract negotiations between the two companies. The blackout began shortly after 11:15 p.m. ET on Thursday—an unusual move, as it occurred before the companies’ current distribution agreement was set to expire at midnight. According to sources familiar with the situation, YouTube required additional time to wind down service and notify its subscribers.
The dispute, which has been brewing for weeks, now leaves around 10 million YouTube TV subscribers without access to major programming on ABC, ESPN, FX, and other Disney channels. The blackout comes at a critical time, as fans are set to miss Thursday night prime-time shows and key college football games over the weekend, including a matchup between ranked teams Vanderbilt and Texas, and games involving Georgia, Ole Miss, and Miami.
In a statement provided to Deadline, Disney accused Google’s YouTube TV of refusing to pay fair market rates for its channels. “Unfortunately, Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deny their subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC,” Disney said. The company further alleged that Google, with its $3 trillion market cap, was “using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut industry-standard terms” that Disney has successfully negotiated with other distributors.
YouTube TV, on the other hand, placed the blame squarely on Disney. In a counterstatement, a YouTube spokesperson said, “Last week, Disney used the threat of a blackout as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices for our customers. They’re now following through on that threat, suspending their content on YouTube TV.” YouTube said that Disney’s move harms subscribers while benefiting its own live TV services, such as Hulu + Live TV and Fubo, and promised to offer affected customers a $20 credit if the blackout continues for an extended period.
This marks YouTube TV’s fifth major carriage dispute in 2025—and the fourth in just three months—following similar standoffs with NBCUniversal, Paramount, and Fox Corp., all of which were resolved at the last minute. However, Univision has remained off YouTube TV since late September. Disney has also clashed with other pay-TV providers like Charter, DirecTV, and Sling in recent years, highlighting the ongoing tensions between traditional media companies and digital distributors.
Beyond the immediate programming loss, the dispute underscores deeper strategic tensions. Disney has doubled down on streaming with its platforms Disney+ and Hulu, and recently launched a new ESPN streaming service in August, offering access to its linear channels and exclusive digital content. Meanwhile, YouTube TV continues to push for rights to “ingest” streaming content directly into its platform—something media companies like Disney see as a threat to their direct-to-consumer strategies.
Adding to the complexity, Disney recently finalized its acquisition of 70% of Fubo, strengthening its live TV footprint alongside Hulu + Live TV and positioning the company as a direct rival to YouTube TV. The two sides had also recently settled a lawsuit over YouTube’s hiring of Justin Connolly, a former Disney distribution executive who is now involved in the negotiations.
As the standoff continues, millions of subscribers remain caught in the middle—missing their favorite shows, live sports, and news programming, with no clear timeline for resolution. Both companies say they are committed to reaching a fair deal, but as the blackout stretches on, frustration among viewers continues to grow.
