With a big sports weekend ahead, YouTube TV subscribers can no longer view Disney-owned channels, including ABC and ESPN, as a result of a breakdown in contracts talks between Google and Disney.
After months of tense negotiations between the two sides over a new streaming contract, Disney and Google failed to agree to terms before an Oct. 30 deadline, resulting in YouTube TV viewers losing access to Disney-owned channels such as ABC and ESPN.
A week before the deadline, Disney had warned that YouTube TV subscribers could lose access to ESPN and ABC if an agreement was not reached before Oct. 30. Disney had been running public messages to YouTube TV subscribers alerting them of this possibility.
In a statement released mere hours before the 11:59 p.m. ET deadline on Thursday, YouTube argued that Disney's threat of a blackout was a "negotiating tactic."
"Last week Disney used the threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers," YouTube said in the statement. "They’re now following through on that threat, suspending their content on YouTube TV. This decision directly harms our subscribers while benefiting their own live TV products, including Hulu + Live TV and Fubo."
In the usual pointing of fingers, ESPN countered by saying that Google was "refusing to pay fair rates."
Statements from ESPN and YouTube TV: https://t.co/eJIiv9Ths7 pic.twitter.com/Ai1dICUw4s
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 31, 2025
YouTube TV has said it will offer its subscribers a credit should the ESPN-ABC blackout continue.
"We know this is a frustrating and disappointing outcome for our subscribers and we continue to urge Disney to work with us constructively to reach a fair agreement that restores their networks to YouTube TV. If their content remains off YouTube TV for an extended period of time, we’ll offer subscribers a $20 credit."
Sports fans who are also subscribers to YouTube TV won't be able to access Saturday college football games that would normally air on ESPN and ABC, as well as Monday Night Football on ESPN/ABC. Here are the games that will be affected by the ESPN/ABC-YouTube TV blackout if a resolution isn’t reached.
Game Date/Time Network
No. 25 Memphis at Rice Oct. 31 @ 7 p.m. ET ESPN2
North Carolina at Syracuse Oct. 31 @ 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN
No. 9 Vanderbilt at No. 20 Texas Nov. 1 @ 12 p.m. ET ABC
No. 10 Miami at SMU Nov. 1 @ 12 p.m. ET ESPN
UCF at Baylor Nov. 1 @ 12 p.m. ET ESPNU
Navy at North Texas Nov. 1 @ 12 p.m. ET ESPN2
Duke at Clemson Nov. 1 @ 12 p.m. ET ACC Network
No. 5 Georgia at Florida Nov. 1 @ 3:30 p.m. ET ABC
No. 12 Notre Dame at Boston College Nov. 1 @ 3:30 p.m. ET ESPN
Pitt at Stanford Nov. 1 @ 3:30 p.m. ET ACC Network
No. 15 Virginia at Cal Nov. 1 @ 3:45 p.m. ET ESPN2
Mississippi State at Arkansas Nov. 1 @ 4 p.m. ET SEC Network
Central Michigan at Western Michigan Nov. 1 @ 4 p.m. ET ESPNU
South Carolina at No. 7 Ole Miss Nov. 1 @ 7 p.m. ET ESPN
No. 8 Georgia Tech at NC State Nov. 1 @ 7: 30 p.m. ET ESPN2
No. 18 Oklahoma at No. 14 Tennessee Nov. 1 @ 7:30 p.m. ET ABC
Kentucky at Auburn Nov. 1 @ 7:30 p.m. ET SEC Network
Wake Forest at Florida State Nov. 1 @ 7:30 p.m. ET ACC Network
Arkansas State at Troy Nov. 1 @ 8 p.m. ET ESPNU
No. 17 Cincinnati at No. 24 Utah Nov. 1 @ 10:15 p.m. ET ESPN
Cardinals at Cowboys Nov. 3 @ 8:15 p.m. ET ABC/ESPN
Looking ahead to the NBA slate, YouTube TV subscribers will also miss out on Nov. 5 matchups between the Timberwolves and Knicks, as well as the Spurs and Lakers.
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