YouTube TV’s Big Demand Emerges Amid ESPN Standoff

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Hugh Green | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 1:44 PM ET

One of the biggest stories in the sports world over the past two weeks has been the carriage contract dispute between Google's YouTube TV and Disney. Since the previous deal expired between the two media giants at the end of the day on Oct. 30, Disney's entire catalog of channels, including ABC and all ESPN affiliates, has not been available for YouTube TV viewers.

This means that sports fans have lost two full weekends of sports coverage, like "College GameDay," and big-time college football matchups, and two "Monday Night Football" games.

This past weekend, YouTube TV subscribers were sent an email saying they will be eligible for a $20 credit on their account due to this standoff, but most users just want their channels back.

A sign depicting logos of ESPN and ABC is seen on the BYU sideline against Texas Tech.© Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Monday, a new development emerged in this dispute, as Puck News reporter John Ourand wrote that YouTube TV is demanding rates from Disney that are lower than some of the other large TV distributors in the country.

He said that the Google-owned company is trying to pay less money than Comcast, Charter and DirecTV. Reportedly, Disney has agreed to make YouTube TV, which is the fourth largest TV distributor, behind the previously noted three, pay an equal amount as the others. However, YouTube TV wants better rates, Ourand said.

If Disney were to give in to YouTube TV's demands, it would most likely have to drop the rates of the other three distributors to the same price, due to most-favored-nation clauses in Comcast, Charter and DirecTV's contracts.

While this news has come out, there has still not been any reporting that says the two media giants are any closer to working out a deal. Despite this, YouTube TV users are hoping to get ABC, ESPN and many other channels back sooner rather than later.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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