Disney Programming Returns to YouTube TV After New Multi-Year Agreement
Disney and YouTube TV have reached a new multi-year carriage agreement, bringing an end to a two-week blackout that coincided with a major election night and left millions of subscribers without access to key channels.
The deal restores Disney’s full suite of sports, entertainment and news networks – including ESPN, ABC, FX, National Geographic, and Disney-branded channels – to YouTube’s pay-TV streaming service. Both companies confirmed that content has already begun rolling out to users.
In a joint statement, Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, said the agreement underscores the company’s commitment to meeting audiences “where they are” as viewing habits continue to evolve.
YouTube TV, in its own statement, said it was pleased to secure terms that “preserve the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers.” The platform apologised for the disruption and thanked viewers for their patience during the negotiations.
As part of the new deal, YouTube TV subscribers will also gain access to ESPN’s recently launched sports streaming platform, aligning the partnership with Disney’s other major distribution agreements this year. Viewers will additionally have the option to bundle Disney+ and Hulu with their subscription.
Disney channels were removed from YouTube TV after negotiations stalled at the October 31 deadline, prompting the temporary blackout. The new agreement now restores one of the service’s most important content portfolios.
