10 Million YouTube TV Subscribers Lose ABC, ESPN, and Disney Channels in Carriage Dispute
The deadline has come and gone and Disney-owned owned channels have gone dark on YouTube TV. This includes important channels like ABC, ESPN, and FX.
YouTube TV issued an unusually skeptical statement about a possible resolution:
We know how disruptive it is to lose channels you enjoy, which is why it’s our goal to bring Disney content back to YouTube TV. We’ll continue to negotiate with Disney in the hopes of achieving resolution, but we can’t speculate at this point about when that may happen or if their content will be restored on the platform.
Disney has launched a website — keepmynetworks.com — to try to rally viewers to get YouTube TV to surrender.
$82.99/mo.
Just this year, YouTube TV resolved short-lived standoffs with Paramount (CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, etc.), Fox, and Comcast (NBC, Bravo, MSNBC, CNBC, etc.). YouTube TV did walk away from Univision and its sister networks when the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement.
What Channels Are No Longer Available on YouTube TV?
Disney owns some of the most popular channels on TV. Here’s what went dark:
- 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)
Will a Blackout Last Long?
Historically, these things are resolved in a few days, even when a deadline goes by. You may miss a weekend of football at most.
If you love YouTube TV, it’s probably worth sticking with them and trusting they’ll find a resolution. Otherwise, it’s a great time to try an alternative live TV provider.
What Are the Best YouTube TV Alternatives?
I haven’t used YouTube TV for several years because the alternatives offer more bang for your buck.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is a great live TV option with several different channel packages. In fact, DIRECTV offers more channels than any other live streamer. It has inexpensive packages and tons of freebies to sign up. You’ll get all the Disney channels and you may do just fine with the $34.99 MyEntertainment package, which includes free Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max.
You’ll get an unlimited DVR, unlimited streams at home, and a very friendly user interface. It’s Streaming Smarter’s top choice for first-time cord-cutters.
$34.99/mo.+
Sling TV
Sling TV offers lots of inexpensive channel lineups and you can get the Disney-related channels on any “Orange” package. You can even subscribe for just one day for $4.99! It’s an easy and flexible option and one I’ve used several times over the years.
$45.99/mo.+
Read our full Sling TV review.
Fubo
We don’t normally recommend Fubo because its price is outrageous compared to its competitors. But it’s a strong option for sports fans, and the Disney-owned channels are available because Disney owns a majority of the company now.
$89.98/mo.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV might be the best value in live TV streaming. Not only do you get a generous channel lineup, you also get free Disney+, ESPN Unlimited, and Hulu on-demand. It’s a great package for families. Many users complain about the clunky interface. Still, it’s a ton of entertainment for a fair price.
Hulu + Live TV may have known this standoff was going to happen because they extended their sale on the service until Nov. 5. Sign up now and you’ll lock in a rock-bottom price for 3 months.
$89.99/mo.
Includes FREE Disney+, ESPN Unlimited, and Hulu on-demand
Read our full Hulu + Live TV review.
ESPN Unlimited
If you only care about missing the ESPN sports package, you can subscribe to ESPN Unlimited for $29.99/month. Right now, that also includes free Hulu and Disney+ for a year. ESPN Unlimited gives you all the sports from all the ESPN channels as well as ABC.
$35.99/mo.
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