YouTube TV loses ESPN, ABC as Disney deal expires

YouTube TV subscribers faced a major blow as Disney owned channels including ABC, ESPN, and FX went dark on the streaming platform early Friday, October 31.

This is the aftermath of a failed distribution agreement by their midnight deadline.

With this collapse of contract talks, a public blame game has started.

YouTube TV with over 7 million subscribers accused American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate Disney of using a blackout as a “negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers.”

In an official statement, YouTube TV states, “The platform said it would not agree to terms that disadvantage its members while benefiting Disney's own live TV products, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.”

Responding to the statement, Disney countered that Google was “refusing to pay fair rates for our channels,” which include a prized lineup of live sports.

With this removal, around 20 channels are affected with all associated DVR recordings.

What does it mean for subscribers?

The major loss is for subscribers as they immediately lost access to major sporting events and popular shows.

However, YouTube TV has confirmed to issue a $20 credit to each member if the outage continues in the longer run.