Disney threatens to pull ESPN, ABC, and other networks from YouTube TV over carriage fee dispute
Disney has given Google until midnight on Thursday, October 30, to reach a new carriage agreement before pulling all Disney-owned content from YouTube TV.
October 24, 2025 - 03:39 PM ET • 2 min read
Disney has issued an ultimatum to Google, the parent company of YouTube TV, threatening to remove all Disney-owned content from the streaming platform if a new carriage agreement is not finalized by midnight on Thursday, October 30. The potential blackout would affect YouTube TV's more than 10 million subscribers, who stand to lose access to a wide array of popular sports, news, and entertainment networks.
If an agreement is not reached by the deadline, subscribers would immediately lose access to all ESPN programming, FX, ABC News, local ABC channels, the Disney Channel, NatGeo, and other popular networks owned by Disney. Access would remain suspended until a new deal is successfully negotiated between the two corporate entities.
The dispute centers on the carriage fees that YouTube TV pays Disney to carry its channels. According to reports, YouTube TV is leveraging its position as the nation's largest internet-based television subscription service to demand carriage fees that are lower than standard market levels for the Disney-owned channels.
A Disney spokesperson criticized the Google-owned service, stating that YouTube TV is "putting their subscribers at risk of losing the most valuable networks they signed up for."
YouTube TV, headquartered in San Bruno, California, has grown significantly since its launch and now commands a subscriber base exceeding 10 million users. This scale provides the service with substantial negotiating power in its dealings with content providers like Disney.
The removal of Disney content would represent a significant loss for YouTube TV subscribers, particularly due to the exclusion of ESPN. ESPN programming is often cited as a primary driver for retaining cable and streaming sports packages, and its absence could prompt subscribers to seek alternative services.
The potential blackout encompasses nearly all of Disney's major television properties, including those focused on general entertainment (FX), children's programming (Disney Channel), news (ABC News and local ABC affiliates), and documentary content (NatGeo).
Carriage disputes between content providers and distributors are common in the television industry, but the scale of the potential blackout between Disney and YouTube TV (one of the world's largest content creators and the largest internet-based distributor) highlights the ongoing tension over content valuation in the evolving streaming landscape. Both companies are under pressure to secure favorable terms, with Disney seeking to maximize revenue from its valuable content portfolio and YouTube TV aiming to keep costs low to maintain competitive pricing for its large subscriber base.