YouTubeTV drops ABC/ESPN/Disney channels from line-up

[Auggie]

Email sent to subscribers:

Dear Auggie:

In order to deliver a wide variety of sports, news, and entertainment programming on YouTube TV, we enter into agreements with network partners. Each time we renew our contracts with these partners, we advocate for fair pricing and greater flexibility to offer our subscribers the best possible live TV experience. Our current agreement with Disney has approached its renewal date, and we will not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products. Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to reach a fair deal, and starting today, October 30, 2025, Disney programming will not 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 Library.
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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’re committed to continuing to work with Disney to reach an agreement, but if their content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we’ll offer our subscribers a $20 credit.
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You can continue to watch Disney’s sports programming by signing up for ESPN directly. For more information on the impact to our 4K Plus and Spanish Plus add-ons, please visit our Help Center.
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Thank you for your patience as we continue to advocate on behalf of our subscribers and work towards a new agreement with Disney. We will continue to update our Help Center with the latest. As always, family managers have the ability to cancel anytime.
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We appreciate your YouTube TV membership.
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Sincerely,
The YouTube TV team

[rurallib]

1. This is one where you hope both sides would lose

[Raven123]

2. "Advocate on behalf of our subscribers" ? They are funding the Big Billionaire Ballroom

Who’s paying for that?

[hlthe2b]

3. Buh Bye, Youtube TV (actually I said that more than a year ago--whew too expensive, especially with other

streaming subscriptions..)

But, the draw for me was getting all my local network content sans cable, given I have major dead zones for some OTA stations, no matter my antenna.

[Auggie]

4. I subscribe during the NFL season. That, Jeopardy, and TCM, is all I watch.

Not a lot of value for the $80+ fee, except that the DVR service works flawlessly and comes with unlimited storage. Streaming is reliable too.

But still ... eighty dollars!

Begging for an a la carte selection option.

[hlthe2b]

5. Yes. The DVR system is what I DO miss.

I already had a cheapie subscription to Hulu, so when the ESPN app came out, I actually called them to see how best to incorporate their new system (including SEC) and am now getting ESPN, Hulu (and Disney + which doesn't matter a lot to me) for $30 something a month (for a year). Good deal because I can watch ABC content, including games, live on Hulu. I also have Paramount + with live CBS (local), which was a Black Friday-Walmart+ deal and Peacock gives me NBC content and some live programming.

So, I think that savings balance pretty well against the loss of the DVR...

[NJCher]

7. I have to have that service

because I want to watch stuff when i want to watch it. Plus I interrupt my viewing all the time to "go do something else."

Needless to say, it also is good when you hear about something you missed. If you have that program in your recording list, you can go check it and see what everybody else is talking about.

[Auggie]

9. If there's need, and if $80+ isn't an issue, then there's no problem

It really isn't an issue for me, though as accumulated fees for everything else goes up -- property taxes, gasoline, utilities, home insurance premiums, health insurance premiums, food prices -- you have to step back on occasion and examine priorities.

[kozar]

6. Nice Timing,

YouTube tv hit my bank acct Wednesday, for their monthly offering.

Koz

[NJCher]

8. you might get a $20 credit, though

if they don't restore ABC in a certain amount of time.

[mnhtnbb]

10. I switched to YouTube TV 2 years ago

When Disney pulled this same move on Spectrum.
Fu*k Disney. I sent them an email that said I guess Tinkerbell has turned into a capitalist pig and that greed is NOT good. I will live without college football. I won't sign up with Disney separately to get ESPN. l'll use my $20. month to get Britbox, if Disney won't back down.