ESPN and several Disney-owned networks were pulled from YouTube TV in late October 2025 after a carriage-negotiation failure between Disney and the platform. The outage affected live sports programming and on-demand content, including ESPN networks and ABC, triggering widespread disruption for YouTube TV subscribers during a busy sports weekend.
What happened
- Disney and YouTube TV failed to reach a new distribution agreement before the existing contract expired, leading Disney to pull ESPN, ABC, and other Disney channels from the service. This left subscribers without access to live ESPN events, college football, and Disney-branded content on YouTube TV.
- The dispute centered on per-subscriber pricing and terms; both sides publicly argued for terms that reflect their respective costs and value, with Disney stating fair terms were not being offered and Google/YouTube TV arguing against asking prices they viewed as excessive.
Impact and options
- News outlets reported the loss affected millions of YouTube TV users, including fans trying to watch college football and other major events aired on ESPN networks and ABC. Negotiations had previously been close on other deals, but this one did not reach a resolution in time.
- Alternatives for ESPN content during the blackout include live streaming services that carry ESPN networks, as well as free trials or promos from competing platforms that offer ESPN programming. Viewers can also check local sports bars or official ESPN platforms for event coverage where available.
What to expect next
- Historically, these carriage disputes often result in a temporary blackout followed by a new distribution agreement after renewed talks. The length of the outage depends on how quickly both parties reach terms on pricing and channel tiers.
- Once a deal is reached, ESPN networks typically return to YouTube TV, with messages on the platform informing subscribers when the channels are restored.
If you’d like, I can pull the latest updates on when ESPN and Disney channels are expected to return to YouTube TV, or help you compare current alternative services that carry ESPN so you can continue watching without missing games.
