YouTube TV subscribers will soon see ESPN and other Disney-owned channels return to their service, following a new agreement announced Friday. The deal comes after more than 20 channels went dark on YouTube TV on October 30th, leaving many fans without access to live sports and entertainment content.
The companies, including CEOs Bob Iger of Disney and Sundar Pichai of Google/Alphabet, reportedly got involved in negotiations, which led to the agreement. According to Disney, key elements of the deal include carriage of Disney's full linear portfolio, including all ESPN networks, ABC, and various branded channels, as well as an offer for ESPN's new direct-to-consumer service (Unlimited Plan) at no additional cost.
The agreement also allows YouTube TV subscribers to access a selection of live and on-demand programming from ESPN Unlimited inside their service. Additionally, select networks will be included in various genre-specific packages, and the Disney+ Hulu Bundle will be available as part of some YouTube offerings.
"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," a statement from YouTube said. "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."
Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, stated: "This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch. It recognizes the tremendous value of Disney's programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice."
The agreement was announced as college football was set to kick off, providing a welcome return for fans of live sports on the platform.
The companies, including CEOs Bob Iger of Disney and Sundar Pichai of Google/Alphabet, reportedly got involved in negotiations, which led to the agreement. According to Disney, key elements of the deal include carriage of Disney's full linear portfolio, including all ESPN networks, ABC, and various branded channels, as well as an offer for ESPN's new direct-to-consumer service (Unlimited Plan) at no additional cost.
The agreement also allows YouTube TV subscribers to access a selection of live and on-demand programming from ESPN Unlimited inside their service. Additionally, select networks will be included in various genre-specific packages, and the Disney+ Hulu Bundle will be available as part of some YouTube offerings.
"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," a statement from YouTube said. "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."
Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, stated: "This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch. It recognizes the tremendous value of Disney's programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice."
The agreement was announced as college football was set to kick off, providing a welcome return for fans of live sports on the platform.
... so now channels are back on after being dark for weeks, but what's the real win here? YouTube just got a major deal with Disney and gets to keep their cash flow going. And let's be real, who really needs ESPN when you can watch games online anyway? 
I mean, I'm glad fans of live sports have access back, but is this really what we wanted - more cable channels cluttering our feeds? 
! so like i was super upset when it went dark on youtube tv cuz i cant even watch my fave college football games anymore lol what a huge mess that would've been 
but now im all good, i can finally catch up on some espn shows and stuff without having to jump between tabs 
finally ESPN is coming back to youtube tv after those 20 channels went dark and left us all feeling super frustrated 
it's great that bob iger and sundar pichai got involved in the negotiations because it shows they're willing to work together for their customers 
now we get to enjoy our favorite sports teams and shows again, plus some new ESPN content 
can't wait to see what other channels come back as part of this deal 
. At least now subs can get their fix of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels without any hiccups 
. Also, yay for flexibility in offers! Now subs can pick & choose what they want to pay for 
. College football fans are gonna love this 
.
️. The deal is definitely a win-win for both parties 
. Can't wait to see what other channels come back & what kind of bundles we might see in the future 
But seriously, this is a great deal for YouTube TV subscribers. I was starting to think we'd never get our ESPN fix again 
. The fact that they're including the Disney+ Hulu Bundle as an option is a game-changer. I'm definitely considering switching back to YouTube TV now. And can you believe the CEOs actually talked things out and came to a deal? It's like they're humans or something 
. Anyway, bring on the sports and entertainment content! 
i mean who doesn't love a good game of football or basketball? and now they're offering a free espn unlimited plan with their service?! that's like, the ultimate win for sports fans!