YouTube TV May Lose ESPN Amid Contract Dispute With Disney

As YouTube TV has grown in popularity, the service routinely finds itself on the verge of losing popular channels due to a seemingly never-ending stream of contract disputes. In 2021, for example, YouTube TV almost lost 14 channels amid a contract dispute with NBCUniversal. This scenario played out again earlier this month, with YouTube TV and NBCUniversal striking a deal at the 11th hour. More recently, YouTube TV finds itself in the midst of another contract dispute, this time with Disney. As a result, there's a chance that YouTube TV subscribers might lose access to ESPN and ABC.

"This is the latest example of Google exploiting its position at the expense of its own customers," a Disney spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. "We invest significantly in our content and expect our partners to pay fair rates that recognize that value. If we don't reach a fair deal soon, YouTube TV customers will lose access to ESPN and ABC, and all our marquee programming — including the NFL, college football, NBA and NHL seasons — and so much more."

YouTube TV, meanwhile, argues that it's been negotiating in good faith. It adds that Disney is looking for favorable terms that are not economically feasible and would ultimately result in an additional price hike for a service that already costs $82.99 per month. Interestingly, YouTube TV implies that Disney is comfortable taking an aggressive negotiating position because of its "own live TV products – like Hulu + Live TV and, soon, Fubo." YouTube TV's current deal with Disney is set to expire on October 30, which is to say we'll know soon enough if ESPN will remain on the platform.

This isn't the first time YouTube TV and Disney have butted heads over contract negotiations. In late 2021, with their existing contract about to expire, YouTube TV said that it would stop carrying every Disney-owned channel as negotiations were proving to be unproductive. On December 18, 2021, YouTube TV followed through on its promise and dropped ESPN, FX, ABC and other channels. Seeing that YouTube wasn't playing around, Disney quickly announced that a new deal with YouTube TV had been inked. One day later, on December 19, all Disney-owned channels returned to YouTube TV.

Ideally, both sides will be able to reach an agreement again, and hopefully the next contract between the two sides will be for a longer period of time. Otherwise, there's a good chance we'll have contentious negotiations again in the not-too-distant future, a dynamic that does nothing to benefit consumers. In the interim, YouTube TV said that it will give users a $20 credit off their monthly subscription if Disney-owned channels are removed from its lineup.