There is “renewed momentum” a deal will soon be reached between Google and Disney that would restore ESPN’s family of networks to the popular TV streaming platform, YouTube TV, according to a report on Wednesday from The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.
ESPN, ABC, and all of Disney’s other channels have been dark on the service since Oct. 30. The 2 sides have been embroiled in a carriage dispute that has prevented YouTube TV’s 10 million subscribers from accessing college football and NFL programming for the last 2 weeks.
YouTube TV said in a statement to Awful Announcing on Wednesday that the primary dispute with Disney is not about how much to pay for ESPN, but rather the price for ABC.
Marchand’s report suggests the same. From his report:
Disney negotiates all of its carriage agreements as a bundle package combining ESPN’s slate of networks, its ABC-owned affiliates, Disney Channel, FX and Freeform. Distributors have complained that Disney has been able to foist these extra channels on them, while Disney counters that they are all discounted as part of a bundle.
Either way, YouTube TV has shown little interest in doling out money for the programming that fewer people watch, with kids’ programming and drama increasingly moving to streaming services. Disney+, the company’s own direct-to-consumer product, offers a large array of kids’ programming.
Marchand went on to report that Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Disney CEO Bob Iger have become “more involved” in negotiations.
Disney has a quarterly earnings call scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 13 — a potential impetus for a deal, according to Marchand.
YouTube TV subscribers who wanted to watch the College Football Playoff rankings reveal on Tuesday night had to look elsewhere. Week 12 of the college football season features 3 ranked matchups on ABC — Notre Dame at Pitt, Oklahoma at Alabama, and Texas at Georgia — that will all factor heavily into the Playoff discussion. Without a deal, YouTube TV subscribers will be unable to watch any of the games.
Until a resolution is reached, subscribers could look to Sling TV, which offers day passes for college football fans who might be seeking a cost-conscious alternative.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
