YouTube TV warns that it may lose all Disney-owned channels because of a contract dispute. YouTube TV’s deal with Disney expires on December 17 Friday and if the new deal does not go through, YouTube TV will temporarily decrease its subscription price by $15 per month.
If the deal falls, the list of Disney-owned channels that could be pulled from YouTube TV includes ESPN, ABC, Freeform, FX Network, National Geographic, and more.
YouTube TV stated in an official post:
“[I]f we are unable to reach a deal by Friday, the Disney-owned channels will no longer be available on YouTube TV and we will decrease our monthly price by $15, from $64.99 to $49.99 (while this content remains off our platform)”
Disney Warns That ABC, ESPN Could Be Pulled From YouTube TV This Week as Carriage Fight Goes Public https://t.co/ohGoNh9mz6
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 13, 2021
The Google-owned streaming platform said that they are currently in negotiation with Disney and other partners and are optimistic that the deal with Disney will run through. However, if the entertainment giant does not come to new terms by Friday, December 17, around 25 channels could be pulled from the streaming provider.
The company also warned viewers, saying:
“We’re now in negotiations with Disney to continue distributing their content on YouTube TV so you can continue watching everything from your favorite teams on ESPN to The Bachelor to Good Morning America. Our deal expires on Friday, December 17, and we haven’t been able to reach an equitable agreement yet, so we wanted to give you an early heads up so that you can understand your choices.”
YouTube also noted that viewers can also cancel or pause their YouTube subscription and get a Disney Bundle for $13.99 per month.
YouTube TV was launched recently in 2017 but became one of the most popular platforms with over 4 million subscribers. One reason behind its growing popularity is the vast number of channels offered by YouTube TV, making it a top choice for cord-cutters. So, this dispute with Disney proves to be an inconvenience to the service and its users.
YouTube TV said that Disney is an important partner for the company, and just like any other partner, they ask Disney to offer the same rates as paid by other services. “If Disney offers us equitable terms, we’ll renew our agreement with them,” said YouTube TV representatives.
According to Disney, their contract with YouTube TV expires on Friday at 11:59 pm ET. However, they are pretty confident that the channels can avoid a blackout as they have a successful track record of negotiation with providers.
“We are optimistic that we can reach a deal and continue to provide their YouTube TV customers with our live sporting events and news coverage, plus kids, family, and general entertainment programming.”
