An October surprise hit some 10 million television watchers last Thursday.
On Oct. 30, YouTube TV subscribers lost access to all Walt Disney Company channels — including ABC and ESPN, plus the conference-specific ACC and SEC Networks. Disney and Google (YouTube’s parent company) failed to reach an updated agreement on carriage. The conglomerates’ beef is now spilling into football and basketball seasons.
YouTube TV users have two main options to circumvent the blackout. They can change their pay TV provider, or add a direct-to-consumer streaming account.
Which carriers have the Disney networks?
YouTube TV is boxed out, but most of its competitors still offer the Disney-owned channels. Of critical importance right now: ABC is free over the air, so it can be accessed with a broadcast antenna (the old-school “rabbit ears”). ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and the ACC/SEC Networks are not available over the air, though.
Here are the pay TV leaders with those channels:
- Fubo (Stream Free Now)
- Cox
- DirecTV
- Dish
- Hulu + Live TV
- Optimum
- Sling
- Spectrum
- Verizon Fios
- Xfinity
In light of the blackout, YouTube TV users might get some relief on their monthly bill. “It’s our goal to restore Disney content to YouTube TV, but if we can’t reach an agreement and their content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we’ll offer our subscribers a $20 credit,” Google says in its help center.
How does the direct-to-consumer subscription work?
If switching providers is too arduous, YouTube TV loyalists can add the suite of Disney sports programs through an ESPN Unlimited plan. ESPN has a new cord-cutting subscription service (launched Aug. 21) that costs $29.99 per month or $299.99 annually. ESPN Unlimited includes a dozen different networks:
- ESPN, the main channel
- ABC, specifically any ESPN sports production airing on the flagship broadcaster
- ESPN2, the secondary channel
- ESPN3, digital-only games
- ESPN+, digital-only games
- ESPNU for college sports
- ESPNEWS for simulcasts, reruns and event overflow
- ESPN Deportes for Spanish-language programming
- SEC Network for the Southeastern Conference
- SEC Network+, digital-only
- ACC Network for the Atlantic Coast Conference
- ACCNX, digital-only
What sports are on the Disney networks this week?
Here are the upcoming headliners across ABC, ESPN and the conference networks for the week of Nov. 3. All times ET:
NFL
Monday: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys on ABC and ESPN, 8:15 p.m.
College Football
Tuesday: Miami (OH) at Ohio on ESPN2, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Northern Illinois at Toledo on ESPN2, 7 p.m.
Thursday: UTSA at South Florida on ESPN, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday: Georgia Southern at Appalachian State on ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.
Friday: Tulane at Memphis on ESPN, 9 p.m.
Saturday: BYU at Texas Tech on ABC, noon
Saturday: Georgia at Mississippi State on ESPN, noon
Saturday: James Madison at Marshall on ESPN2, noon
Saturday: SMU at Boston College on ACC Network, noon
Saturday: Texas A&M at Missouri on ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday: Syracuse at Miami on ESPN, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday: Kansas at Arizona on ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday: Auburn at Vanderbilt on SEC Network, 4 p.m.
Saturday: Wake Forest at Virginia on ESPN, 7 p.m.
Saturday: California at Louisville on ESPN2, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Florida State at Clemson on ACC Network, 7 p.m.
Saturday: LSU at Alabama on ABC, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Florida at Kentucky on SEC Network, 7:30 p.m.
NBA
Wednesday: Minnesota Timberwolves at New York Knicks on ESPN, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday: San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN, 10 p.m.
Saturday: Phoenix Suns at LA Clippers on ESPN, 10:30 p.m.
Men’s College Basketball
Tuesday: Texas vs. Duke on ESPN, 8:45 p.m.
Friday: Kansas at North Carolina on ESPN, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Oklahoma at Gonzaga on ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.
Sunday: Indiana vs. Marquette on ESPN, 1 p.m.
Sunday: Texas A&M at Oklahoma State on ESPN2, 2 p.m.
Sunday: Washington at Baylor on ESPN, 8:30 p.m.
Women’s College Basketball
Tuesday: Tennessee vs. NC State on ESPN2, 4 p.m.
Tuesday: Louisville vs. UConn on ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday: USC at NC State on ESPN, 3 p.m.
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