Why YouTube TV Subscribers Can’t Watch ABC, ESPN & More Right Now

Wondering why you’re not able to watch ABC, ESPN, FX, and other Disney-owned TV channels through YouTube TV right now? You’re not alone.

Certain channels have recently gone dark on the streamer as a result of a failed deal between Disney and Google, and now each of the companies is pointing fingers at one another over who’s to blame for the outage, which comes at a time when audiences may be trying to tune in for political and election news or sports broadcasts on the network.

The stoppage went into effect on October 30 for a reported 10 million subscribers, and there’s no end in sight at this time. So what’s really going on between YouTube TV and Disney-owned channels?

Here’s an overview of the issue and what the companies are saying about it.

What started the dispute between Google and Disney?

The companies failed to reach an agreement for YouTube TV to continue carrying Disney-owned channels, which resulted in their contract lapsing and channels being removed on October 30. The sticking point for the agreement is the carriage fee that Google has to pay Disney to broadcast their channels on YouTube TV. 

In a statement posted to their help site, Google explained, “Each time we renew our contracts with network partners, we advocate for fair pricing and greater flexibility to offer our subscribers the best possible live TV experience. Our current agreement with Disney has approached its renewal date, and we will not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products.” 

Meanwhile, Disney’s statement on the matter read, “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.”

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Disney pushed for ABC to be restored for 24 hours on election day on Tuesday (November 4) due to the special need for access to that coverage, but YouTube declined. In a blog post, the company wrote, “We agree that the right priority here is to give customers what they want. As you know from the many content disputes you’ve been part of, customers don’t want companies fighting and content blackouts. But unfortunately, your proposal would permit us to return Disney’s ABC stations only for a day and will cause customer confusion among those who may briefly see ABC on YouTube TV only to lose it again shortly after.” The company also accused Disney of “resorting to the same tactic” with the plea as they did with DirecTV in 2024, which was also rejected, and demanded, “let’s get a fair deal done so we can get back to providing our mutual customers with the content they want.” 

What channels are affected by the blackout?

The following YouTube TV channels have been blocked as a result of the lapsed deal.

• ABC
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• Freeform
• FX
• FXX
• Disney Junior
• SEC Network
• Nat Geo
• Nat Geo Wild
• Disney Channel
• ESPNU
• FXM
• ABC News Live
• ACC Network
• Disney XD
• Localish
• ESPNews
• ESPN Deportes (Spanish Plan)
• Baby TV Español (Spanish Plan)
• Nat Geo Mundo (Spanish Plan)

What is Google doing for affected YouTube TV subscribers?

The company claims it will offer a $20 credit to those affected by the blackout “if we can’t reach an agreement and their content is unavailable for an extended period of time.” It did not specify how long an “extended period of time” indicates, however.

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