Disney Drops ABC, ESPN, and More from YouTube TV After Talks Fall Apart

Things just got wild in the streaming world: Disney yanked its channels—think ESPN, ABC, FX, and National Geographic—off YouTube TV because they couldn't agree with Google (YouTube TV’s owner). This is just another round in the never-ending fight over who gets to show what on TV.

Here's the lowdown on what's happening, why it's important, and what it means for you.

What Went Down

Basically, Disney and YouTube TV's contract ended on October 30, 2025, and they couldn't agree on a new one.

So:

YouTube TV said goodbye to Disney-owned channels.

That means you can't watch ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, Freeform, FX, National Geographic, and a bunch of others on YouTube TV anymore.

YouTube TV told subscribers that Disney followed through on a threat and cut off the content when they couldn't reach a deal.

Disney says YouTube TV wouldn’t pay fair rates and that Google was trying to use its size to get a better deal than everyone else.

Why It’s a Big Deal

Big channels, big problem: ESPN and ABC are super popular, especially for live sports and news. Not having them on YouTube TV is a pain for tons of people.

Streaming is still a mess: This shows that the old fights over who gets to show what are still happening, even with streaming. Disney also has Hulu + Live TV and Disney +, which makes things even more complicated.

Could cost you money: Both sides say they're fighting for you. YouTube TV says Disney wants to charge too much, which would raise prices. Disney says YouTube isn't paying enough. Either way, you might end up paying more or losing access to your favorite channels.

Playing the game: Disney might be trying to get more people to sign up for their own services, like Hulu + Live TV. YouTube TV is standing its ground and saying no to deals it doesn't like.

What This Means for You

If you have YouTube TV, here's what you need to know:

You can't watch those channels anymore. Any recordings you had from those channels might be gone too.

YouTube TV will give you some money back: They're giving a $20 credit if Disney stuff is gone for a while. The normal price is $82.99 a month.

You have other choices: You can switch to a different service or just get Disney's apps directly. But that costs more money and time.

Missing out: If you like watching live sports or other big events, you might miss something if you don't find another way to watch.

Who’s Saying What

YouTube TV / Google: They say the old deal would have hurt their customers and helped Disney's competition. They also say Disney threatened to cut off the channels to get what they wanted.

Disney: They say YouTube TV and Google aren't paying enough for the channels and are being unfair. They want to make a deal but not one that's bad for them.

Industry experts: They think this is just another fight over who gets to show what, but bigger because of streaming. It shows that even big companies like Netflix and Disney need to work with others to get their stuff out there.

What's Really Going On

Why this is happening:

Money: Disney wants more money for its channels. YouTube TV doesn't want to pay more because it would mean raising prices.

Power: Disney has a lot of popular channels. That gives them power when they're making deals. YouTube TV wants to keep prices down to stay competitive.

Streaming: Disney wants people to use its own streaming services. It still needs to work with other companies, but it wants to be less dependent on them.

Size matters: Google is huge, which Disney says gives it an unfair advantage. This fight is about who controls the viewers and how they get access to content.

Timing: These deals usually end on a certain date. This one happened right when sports seasons are starting, which makes things even more tense.

What Happens Next?

Here's what could happen:

They make a deal soon: Usually, these fights don't last too long. Both sides want to avoid losing viewers and making people angry.

The channels stay gone: If they can't agree, you might not get those channels for a while.

Prices change: YouTube TV might raise prices, or Disney might try to get more people to sign up for its own services.

Bigger problems: Other companies might start fighting with Disney too. The government might even get involved and start making new rules.

People switch: You might cancel YouTube TV and go to a different service, use an antenna, or find smaller streaming services.

In the End

This fight between Disney and YouTube TV might seem like just business, but it affects you. You could lose channels, miss sports games, and end up paying more. It shows that the way we watch TV is changing and that even big companies are fighting over how to make money from content.

If you need ESPN, ABC, or other Disney channels, you should probably find a backup plan. This is just another reminder that content is important, but making deals to show it is still a battle.