This Monday night two of the teams with the largest fanbases in sports were set to face off. And more than a few of them were probably a little worried how they were going to watch it. That’s because for the past three weeks YouTubeTV was not airing any Disney networks, including ABC and ESPN which airs Monday Night Football.
Well, just in time for the game, an agreement has been reached. And YouTubeTV will restore the full suite of Disney owned networks including ABC and ESPN.
The two sides were set to renew their contract last month, but couldn’t come to an agreement. It is somewhat common for providers and networks to disagree on proper compensation for carrying them. But usually those disagreements are resolved before there is a service interruption.
On October 30, YouTubeTV announced the service interruption.
“In order to deliver a wide variety of sports, news, and entertainment programming on YouTube TV, we enter into agreements with network partners. Each time we renew our contracts with these partners, we advocate for fair pricing and greater flexibility to offer our subscribers the best possible live TV experience. Our current agreement with Disney has approached its renewal date, and we will not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products. Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to reach a fair deal, and starting today, October 30, 2025, Disney programming will not be available on YouTube TV. This means you will no longer be able to watch channels like ABC and ESPN or access recordings from these networks in your Library.”
YouTubeTV also announced that should the blackout last “an extended amount of time” they would offer a $20 credit for each month it was not available. As of three days ago, they began allowing customers to opt into receiving that credit.
And as of today, access to ABC and ESPN has been restored for YouTubeTV customers. So, rest easy Raiders and Cowboys fans. If you are a YouTubeTV customer, Monday Night Football will come on your TVs at home.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Just in time for Raiders vs Cowboys on MNF, ESPN returns to YouTubeTV
