Disney pulled the ABC and ESPN network series from YouTube TV last week after failing to reach a new deal with YouTube parent Google.
YouTube TV subscribers lose ABC, ESPN
Last Thursday, YouTube TV subscribers lost access to all Walt Disney Co. channels, including the conference-specific ACC and SEC Networks for college sports.
For NBA fans, that means missing ESPN games such as Wednesday’s game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs against the Los Angeles Lakers, and this Saturday’s game between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Millions of NFL and college football fans have also canceled their subscriptions. monday night football airs on the ABC and ESPN networks, while ABC broadcasts afternoon and primetime college football games.
Despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach a fair agreement, and starting today, Disney shows will no longer be available on YouTube TV. This means you will no longer be able to watch channels like ABC and ESPN or access recordings from these networks in your media library.
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) October 31, 2025
Statement about Google YouTube TV pic.twitter.com/qev5AQGewS
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 31, 2025
To add insult to injury, YouTube TV may only offer a $20 credit to its subscribers. That’s a one-time payment. The service doesn’t take $20 off everyone’s monthly bill.
“We know this is a frustrating and disappointing outcome for our subscribers, and we continue to urge Disney to work constructively with us to reach a fair agreement to restore their YouTube TV network,” Google said in its Help Center.
“Our goal is to restore Disney content on YouTube TV, but if we can’t reach an agreement and their content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we will offer subscribers a $20 credit.”
ESPN Unlimited plans are still an option
YouTube TV users have two main options to circumvent the outage. They can change streaming providers, or add direct-to-consumer streaming accounts.
ESPN Unlimited plans to launch on August 21, and the cord-cutting subscription service will cost $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year. ESPN Unlimited includes more than a dozen different networks:
- ABC
- ACC network
- ACCNX (digits only)
- ESPN
- ESP News
- ESPN Destroyers
- ESPN2
- ESPN3
- ESPNU
- ESPN+
- SEC Network
- SEC+ (digital only)
Dish, Fubo, Sling have ABC, ESPN
Although ABC and ESPN channels are no longer available through YouTube TV, most of its competitors still offer Disney-owned channels as of November 2025.
These streaming services include the following:
- Cox
- live tv
- plate
- fubo
- Hulu + Live TV
- optimal
- sling
- spectrum
- Verizon Fios
- unlimited
What’s more, ABC is free and therefore accessible via broadcast antennas. However, the same cannot be said for ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ACC/SEC Networks.
In addition to losing the aforementioned channels, YouTube TV users will no longer have access to Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, National Geographic, and National Geographic Wild.
The Disney standoff is the latest shipping dispute for YouTube TV, which recently dropped Univision and other TelevisaUnivision-owned channels after negotiations failed.
