YouTube TV users lose access to Disney and ESPN after contract dispute. What we know
FILE-In this photo illustration, a person is holding a cellphone with the webpage of US IPTV service YouTube TV in front of a business logo. (Photo Illustration by Timon Schneider/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
YouTube TV subscribers lost access to Disney and ESPN networks after Google and Disney couldn't reach an agreement on a deal.
The stations, which include ABC, FX, and ESPN, went dark Thursday night, leaving millions of subscribers without the channel options.
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According to the New York Times, YouTube claimed that Disney threatened to remove its content if a new deal to pay Disney more money wasn't completed before a midnight deadline on Friday.
YouTube is the largest internet TV provider in the U.S. with over 9 million subscribers. Hulu, owned by Disney, has roughly half that many subscribers.
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The Associated Press noted that the breakdown could affect coverage of some college football games on Saturday, as well as NBA, NFL and NHL games.
Both Disney and Google released their own statements after contract talks fell through.
Disney and Google release statements
What they're saying:
In a statement obtained by the Sports Business Journal, Disney said in part, "Unfortunately, Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deny their subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC. Without a new agreement in place, their subscribers will not have access to our programming, which includes the best lineup in live sports -- anchored by the NFL, NBA, and college football, with 13 of the top 25 college teams playing this weekend."
The other side:
The Sports Business Journal also received a statement from Google that read in part, "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. 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."
YouTube added in their statement that subscribers can receive an offer of a $20 credit on YouTube TV if Disney content stays off the platform for an extended length of time.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by The New York Times, the Associated Press, and the Sports Business Journal. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.