YouTube TV vs. Disney, Day 3: Is It Over?
By Phillip Swann
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YouTube TV early Friday morning (October 31, 2025) lost all Disney-owned channels, including ESPN, the ABC affiliates and FX, due to a carriage dispute between the companies. Until there is a settlement, The TV Answer Man will post a daily notice here on whether the blackout has been lifted. I will publish the update in the early morning hours so when you wake up, you can check whether the two sides have settled. I encourage you to bookmark the site for easier reference.
I will also include the latest news related to the fight in the daily post so you can find out what Disney and YouTube TV executives and subscribers are saying and doing in response to the blackout.
So, it’s day three. Is the dispute over? Absolutely not. Let’s go to the updates:
Fubo Entices YouTube TV Subs With $9.99 a Month Offer
Fubo, which is now 70 percent owned by Disney, has sent an e-mail to select former subscribers with an offer of $9.99 for its new slimmed-down $55.99 a month Sports Plan which includes ESPN. It’s unclear from the e-mail, which I received (I am a former Fubo subscriber), whether the $9.99 a month would be for the first month or for a longer period of time. It’s also unclear who is eligible for the offer. If you are interested, and did not get the e-mail, I encourage you to contact Fubo customer support and ask for it. I will also try to get more information on this offer on Monday.
SEC Commish Greg Sankey’s Fumbles ESPN Order
Greg Sankey, the SEC Commissioner who makes at least $4.2 million a year, is bragging on X that he switched from YouTube TV to the $29.99 a month ESPN Unlimited app and ‘saved a bit while making the change.’ Considering that most YouTube TV subscribers make less than $4.2 million, and would prefer not spend any additional money to watch football, the Sankey statement was ‘a bit’ out of order.
YouTube TV Says It Won’t Lower Prices Due to the Blackout
YouTube TV, which has said it will provide a $20 credit if the blackout goes ‘an extended period of time (whatever that is), is telling subscribers that it won’t lower prices even though the Disney channels are gone.
Disney Using High-Profile ESPN Talent In Persuasion Campaign
Disney has enlisted top ESPN personalities such as Stephen A. Smith Scott Van Pelt and Holly Rowe to post comments on X in support of the company’s position in the YouTube TV fight. Journalism purists might frown upon the tactic, considering that some of the people involved are supposed to be objective arbiters in news stories, even one featuring the corporate parent. But many broadcasters have used news personnel in the past in carriage battles and Disney is just following the industry trend.
Come back tomorrow morning for the next update!!
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