Disney And YouTube TV Reach Carriage Deal, Ending 15-Day Standoff

Disney and YouTube TV have reached a carriage agreement, ending a pitched battle that dragged on for 15 days.

Included in the pact are ABC and ESPN, a portfolio of other networks and ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming outlet, with the latter included at no extra charge for YouTube TV’s 10 million subscribers. The bundle of Disney+ and Hulu will also be made available in “select YouTube offerings,” the companies said, and certain networks will be part of genre-specific packages.

“This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch,’’ Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “It recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice. We are pleased that our networks have been restored in time for fans to enjoy the many great programming options this weekend, including college football.”

YouTube TV, which has grown into one of the top U.S. pay-TV providers since launching in 2017, will restore programming, including DVR programs, from Disney over the next 24 hours. The restoration comes in time for viewers to be able to tune in for a packed college football slate and Monday Night Football‘s Dallas Cowboys-Las Vegas Raiders game. At 15 days, the blackout was the longest ever for Disney and was threatening to extend a drought of college football to a third weekend in the prime of the season.

“We’re happy to share that we’ve reached an agreement with Disney that preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement. “Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN and FX returning to their service over the course of the day, as well as any recordings that were previously in their Library. We apologize for the disruption and appreciate our subscribers’ patience as we negotiated on their behalf. “