Following a two-week absence, YouTube TV and Disney revealed Friday they’ve come to an agreement.
Along with restoring Disney channels such as ABC, ESPN, and FX to YouTube’s streaming service, the agreement will also allow ESPN to offer its new direct-to-consumer service on YouTube TV without an extra charge. YouTube will also have the option to sell specific Disney channels and the Disney+/Hulu bundle within different packages.
In a joint statement, Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, together with ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, characterized the deal as one that “recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice.”
“We’re happy our channels are back just in time for fans to catch the many great programming options this weekend, including college football,” the Disney leaders added.
YouTube also issued a statement Friday noting that affected channels would be restored for subscribers “throughout the day.” The company added, “We regret the disruption and thank our subscribers for their patience as we negotiated for them.”
YouTube TV is intended as a cable alternative for cord-cutters, but similar to most cable providers, the service has faced its share of disputes with major content providers — usually concerning payment amounts and flexibility in offering content in different bundles.
When YouTube and Disney renegotiated in 2022, a similar (though considerably shorter) blackout occurred. This time, YouTube offered customers a $20 credit applicable to their next bill.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco
|
October 13-15, 2026
One survey even indicated that, because of the Disney blackout, 24% of the service’s more than 10 million subscribers reported having already canceled or планировали to soon. (A YouTube spokesperson stated that actual churn was “manageable and does not align with the findings of this survey.”)
Indeed, TechCrunch’s Amanda Silberling mentioned the blackout was disrupting her life because she couldn’t watch “Jeopardy!” Thankfully, her two-week hardship is over.
