Disney has warned YouTube TV subscribers that ABC stations and its cable brands, including ESPN, FX, National Geographic and Disney Channel, could be pulled next week if a new distribution deal is not reached.
Notices began airing on Thursday 23 October, with the current agreement due to expire at 23:59 ET on 30 October.
The alerts, carried on Disney’s cable networks and ABC owned-and-operated stations in major markets, tell viewers they may lose access unless Google’s vMVPD (virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor) agrees fresh terms. YouTube TV’s base is estimated to be around 10 million subscribers.
Disney’s message to viewers highlights the immediate sports impact if channels go dark, naming the NFL, college football, NBA and NHL among affected programming on ABC and ESPN.
YouTube TV currently charges $82.99 (€78) a month for its core bundle. As with similar rows, the dispute centres on carriage fees and related terms. Neither side has disclosed specifics.
The standoff follows a run of high-profile carriage flare-ups across U.S. platforms. YouTube TV avoided an immediate loss of Fox networks last month via a short-term extension, while Disney’s channels were blacked out on DirecTV for more than a week in September 2024.
Both companies say they want a “fair” deal; however, if no agreement is reached by Thursday 30 October, YouTube TV will lose the Disney portfolio until terms are settled.
Earlier this month the settlement of a similar dispute between YouTube and NBC Universal resulted in a new agreement that included the carriage of NBC streamer Peacock.
