YouTube TV restores Disney channels after 15-day blackout

YouTube TV and The Walt Disney Company reached a carriage agreement on November 14, 2025, ending a 15-day blackout that eliminated ESPN, ABC, FX and other Disney-owned networks from the streaming platform. The resolution restored channels to over 9 million YouTube TV subscribers after a standoff that cost Disney an estimated $64.5 million in lost revenue.

"We're happy to share that we've reached an agreement with Disney that preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers," YouTube TV stated in a November 14 update posted at 4:40 PM. "Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN and FX returning to their service over the course of the day, as well as any recordings that were previously in their Library."

The platform apologized for the disruption and thanked subscribers for their patience during negotiations. Channels began returning to the service throughout the day on November 14, restoring access to live programming and previously recorded content that had been unavailable during the blackout period.

The financial impact of the dispute proved substantial for Disney. Morgan Stanley equity analysts Benjamin Swinburne and Thomas Yeh had estimated Disney would lose approximately $30 million per week, or $4.3 million per day, while its networks remained dark on YouTube TV, according to a research note reported by Variety on November 11, 2025. With the blackout extending 15 days from October 30 through November 14, Disney's total estimated revenue loss reached approximately $64.5 million.

The analysts had incorporated a 14-day blackout estimate into their financial forecast for Disney's year-end 2025 quarter, describing it as a "$60mm revenue headwind." Each additional week of the dispute was projected to lower Disney's adjusted earnings per share by 2 cents.

The blackout began just before midnight Eastern Time on October 30, 2025, when Disney and Google failed to reach agreement before their previous contract expired. YouTube TV announced the channel removal at 4:16 AM Eastern Time on October 31, stating the companies "have not been able to reach a fair deal." The service immediately implemented a $20 monthly credit for affected subscribers.

According to YouTube TV's October 23 statement, Disney had been "proposing costly economic terms that would raise prices on YouTube TV customers and give our customers fewer choices, while benefiting Disney's own live TV products - like Hulu + Live TV and, soon, Fubo." The platform accused Disney of using "the threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices."

Disney maintained that Google was "refusing to pay fair rates for our channels." The standoff persisted through critical sports programming windows, forcing YouTube TV subscribers to miss two consecutive weeks of "Monday Night Football" on ESPN and ABC. The blackout eliminated the Philadelphia Eagles versus Green Bay Packers matchup on November 10 and the Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys game on November 3, plus two Saturdays of college football broadcasts and ABC primetime programming.

The advertising implications extended beyond subscription revenue losses. According to PPC Land reporting from October 31, research showed YouTube advertisements during streaming-exclusive games were 66% more effective for brands than broadcast and cable offerings, according to EDO's 2025 NFL TV Outcomes Report. The blackout removed premium sports inventory from YouTube TV's advertising platform during peak viewing periods, affecting advertisers who had purchased campaigns expecting access to NFL, NBA and college football audiences.

YouTube TV had been experiencing subscriber pressure from the dispute. According to a survey reported by Variety on November 11, 24% of YouTube TV subscribers said they had already canceled or intended to cancel service over the Disney blackout. A YouTube representative disputed these findings, stating that "while subscriber churn is always regrettable, it's been manageable and does not align with the findings of this survey."

The platform began alerting subscribers about the $20 credit on November 9, providing instructions for manual application to accounts. The credit represented YouTube TV's effort to mitigate cancellations during the carriage dispute.

YouTube TV estimated subscriber count exceeded 10 million as of the dispute, making it the largest virtual pay-TV provider in the United States and the third largest overall after Charter and Comcast, according to Wikipedia documentation. Disney's Hulu + Live TV and Fubo, which recently merged, maintained nearly 6 million subscribers in North America.

The resolution came after Disney reported earnings for the September 2025 quarter on November 13, 2025. Analysts had expected Disney to report $22.78 billion in revenue and earnings per share of $1.02, according to financial data provider LSEG referenced in the Variety report.

This marked YouTube TV's second major carriage dispute with Disney. In December 2021, Disney channels went dark on YouTube TV for approximately one day before the companies reached a new deal, according to Wikipedia's documented history of YouTube TV carriage disputes. That earlier blackout represented YouTube TV's first contract-related channel removal.

The pattern of carriage disputes between content providers and distributors has intensified as streaming platforms compete for market share. YouTube TV faced a Fox channel blackout threat in August 2025 amid college football season negotiations, following a $10 price increase to $82.99 monthly that took effect in January 2025 for existing customers.

Disney's dual position as both content provider and streaming competitor creates inherent conflicts in carriage negotiations. The company controls Hulu + Live TV and holds ownership in Fubo following their merger, creating a portfolio of services that compete directly with YouTube TV while depending on carriage agreements with independent distributors.

The competitive dynamics have shifted as streaming officially surpassed combined broadcast and cable television viewing for the first time in May 2025, according to PPC Land reporting. Connected TV advertising measurement capabilities have expanded, with Nielsen data from mid-2024 showing YouTube maintained the number one ranking in streaming platform viewership for 17 consecutive months, according to The Hill's November 12 reporting.

YouTube's connected TV views increased by more than 130% over three years, with sports content watch time on CTV growing by 30% year-over-year, according to data cited in The Hill article. The Disney blackout threatened this momentum by removing some of the most-watched sports programming from the service during football season.

The November 14 resolution preserves YouTube TV's sports programming lineup during the remainder of the NFL season and college football playoffs. Subscribers regained access to upcoming "Monday Night Football" broadcasts, weekend college football games, NBA programming on ESPN and ABC, and entertainment content across Disney-owned networks.

YouTube TV's statement emphasized the agreement "preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers," suggesting the platform maintained negotiating objectives around pricing and service configuration. The specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed by either company.

The dispute resolution removes immediate pressure on YouTube TV's subscriber base while allowing Disney to resume collecting carriage fees from one of the largest streaming television providers. Both companies avoided extended revenue losses that would have accumulated through the remainder of the football season and into holiday programming periods.

For marketing professionals, the resolution restores access to premium advertising inventory on YouTube TV during high-engagement sports programming. Advertisers who had purchased campaigns targeting NFL, NBA and college sports audiences through YouTube TV regained the ability to reach those viewers on the platform.

The carriage agreement came as Disney has been expanding its programmatic advertising technology across streaming platforms. In April 2025, Disney announced advancements in its advertising technology, expanding biddable ad capabilities for live content from Hulu and Disney+ through programmatic integrations with certified platforms including Google's Display & Video 360, The Trade Desk, Yahoo DSP and Magnite.

Disney has also established direct connections between its Real-Time Ad Exchange and major demand-side platforms, streamlining the ad buying process across Disney+ and Hulu. In June 2025, Disney integrated with Amazon DSP, providing advertisers direct access to premium inventory across Disney+, ESPN and Hulu platforms.

The YouTube TV carriage agreement ensures Disney's channels remain available on a platform that generates significant streaming viewership and advertising reach. The resolution allows both companies to focus on competing for advertising revenue during the lucrative fourth quarter period rather than negotiating distribution terms.

Timeline

• October 23, 2025: YouTube TV announces Disney is proposing costly economic terms that would raise prices
• October 30, 2025: Disney and Google fail to reach agreement before contract expiration just before midnight ET
• October 31, 2025: YouTube TV announces Disney blackout at 4:16 AM ET, affecting over 9 million subscribers
• November 3, 2025: YouTube TV subscribers miss Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys "Monday Night Football" game
• November 9, 2025: YouTube TV begins alerting subscribers about $20 monthly credit application process
• November 10, 2025: YouTube TV subscribers miss Philadelphia Eagles versus Green Bay Packers "Monday Night Football" game
• November 11, 2025: Morgan Stanley analysts estimate Disney losing $4.3 million per day, with potential $60 million loss at 14 days
• November 12, 2025: The Hill reports on financial impact and subscriber frustration during blackout
• November 13, 2025: Disney reports earnings for September 2025 quarter
• November 14, 2025: YouTube TV and Disney reach agreement, channels begin returning to service
• August 2025: YouTube TV faced Fox channel blackout threat amid college football season negotiations
• June 2025: Disney inventory becomes available on Amazon DSP through Real-Time Ad Exchange integration
• April 2025: Disney expands biddable ad technology across streaming platforms for live content
• January 2025: Disney launches certification for live streaming ads with major advertising platforms
• December 2021: YouTube TV experiences first Disney blackout, resolved after approximately one day

Summary

Who: YouTube TV, Google's streaming television service with over 9 million subscribers, and The Walt Disney Company, owner of ESPN, ABC, FX and other major cable networks.

What: YouTube TV and Disney reached a carriage agreement on November 14, 2025, ending a 15-day blackout that eliminated Disney-owned channels from the streaming platform. The resolution restored ESPN, ABC, FX and other Disney networks to YouTube TV subscribers, along with previously recorded content that had been unavailable during the dispute.

When: The blackout began October 30, 2025, when the previous contract expired just before midnight Eastern Time. YouTube TV announced the channel removal at 4:16 AM ET on October 31. The companies reached agreement on November 14, 2025, at 4:40 PM, with channels returning to service throughout that day.

Where: The dispute affected YouTube TV subscribers across the United States, the platform's only operating market. The resolution came after Disney reported quarterly earnings and Morgan Stanley analysts published financial impact estimates.

Why: The carriage dispute centered on pricing disagreements, with YouTube TV claiming Disney proposed "costly economic terms that would raise prices" while benefiting Disney's competing services Hulu + Live TV and Fubo. Disney maintained Google was "refusing to pay fair rates" for its channels. The 15-day blackout cost Disney an estimated $64.5 million in lost revenue at $4.3 million per day, according to Morgan Stanley analyst calculations. The resolution preserves YouTube TV's service value and provides future flexibility while restoring Disney's carriage fees from one of the largest streaming television providers.