YouTube TV, Disney Face Contract Deadline as Negotiations Stall Over Rate Demands
Mountain View, CA – October 1, 2025 – YouTube TV and Disney are locked in last-minute negotiations as their current contract nears expiration, raising the possibility of Disney channels like ABC and ESPN going dark on the streaming platform.A potential blackout looms as the two companies clash over fair compensation for content,with Disney seeking rates comparable to those paid by traditional cable distributors.
The dispute centers on YouTube TV’s desire for a shorter-term deal – reportedly 1-2 years, diverging from the industry standard of 3-5 years – attributed to its rapid growth. Concurrently, YouTube TV is pushing for pricing “similar to what bigger distributors” like Comcast and Charter (Spectrum) pay, a position Disney reportedly finds frustrating.Disney contends that its content, and that of other programmers, is a key driver of YouTube TV’s appeal and deserves commensurate payment.
“We invest significantly in our content and expect our partners to pay fair rates that recognize that value,” Disney stated.
Beyond Disney,YouTube TV is also navigating ongoing negotiations with TelevisaUnivision,whose channels were previously removed from the platform in September. YouTube TV proposed offering these channels within a “more expensive specialty tier,” citing insufficient viewership to justify inclusion in its core package, a proposal TelevisaUnivision rejected.
This situation mirrors recent negotiations with Fox and NBC, which both resulted in temporary extensions before long-term agreements were reached. As of late tonight, the outcome of the Disney negotiations remains uncertain. A failure to reach an agreement would result in the loss of Disney-owned channels and on-demand content for YouTube TV subscribers.
