Disney and YouTube TV Resolve Carriage Dispute, Restoring Channels

After a two-week blackout, Disney and YouTube TV have reached an agreement to restore Disney-owned channels, including ABC and ESPN, to the streaming platform. The dispute, which began on October 30, 2025, centered around carriage fees and led to the removal of several Disney channels from YouTube TV.

The blackout affected approximately 10 million YouTube TV subscribers, who missed key programming such as U.S. Election Day coverage and major live sports events, including "Monday Night Football." Both companies confirmed that the full lineup of Disney channels would return to YouTube TV as of November 15, 2025.

As part of the agreement, base-plan subscribers will gain access to ESPN's complete sports content, including ESPN Unlimited, at no extra charge by the end of 2026. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, though reports indicate Disney sought approximately $10 per subscriber for ESPN access.

During the blackout, YouTube TV offered subscribers a $20 credit to compensate for the loss of Disney channels. The resolution of this dispute ends one of the lengthier content blackouts in the current competitive streaming landscape.