YouTube TV removed ESPN and other Disney channels in December 2024

Yes, YouTube TV no longer carries ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, FX, or National Geographic. The removal happened on December 9, 2024, after negotiations between YouTube and Disney broke down over carriage fees. If you had YouTube TV before that date, you lost access to those channels and any recordings from them.

YouTube TV lowered its monthly price by $15 after the removal—from $72.99 to $57.99—but that price cut does not restore the channels. The channels remain unavailable unless YouTube and Disney reach a new agreement, which has not happened as of early 2025.

Key Takeaways

  • ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, FX, and National Geographic disappeared from YouTube TV on December 9, 2024, when the carriage agreement expired.
  • YouTube TV's monthly price dropped by $15 after the removal, but you cannot get the channels back by paying more.
  • If you recorded shows from those channels before December 9, those recordings are no longer playable in your library.
  • Sports fans who relied on YouTube TV for ESPN games will need a separate streaming service or cable subscription to watch those events.
  • YouTube and Disney have not announced a new agreement, so the channels may remain unavailable for months or longer.

Why YouTube TV and Disney could not agree on a deal

Carriage disputes happen when a streaming service and a broadcaster disagree on how much the broadcaster should be paid to appear on that service. Disney wanted higher fees for ESPN and its other channels; YouTube TV said those fees were too high and would force it to raise prices further. Neither side was willing to move enough to close the gap.

YouTube TV has had similar disputes before—it lost Fox regional sports networks in 2022 and Sinclair-owned local stations in 2023—but the ESPN removal is the largest. ESPN is the most-watched sports network in the United States, so losing it affects far more subscribers than previous disputes did.

What sports fans can watch instead

If you subscribed to YouTube TV mainly for ESPN, you have several options. ESPN+ is Disney's direct streaming service and costs $10.99 per month (or $109.99 per year). It carries some live games, original shows, and replays, but not all ESPN broadcasts—some games still air only on the ESPN cable channel or on ABC.

The Disney Bundle combines ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu for $14.99 per month (with ads) or $24.99 per month (without ads). This is cheaper than paying for each service separately if you watch Disney+ or Hulu as well.

Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV both carry ESPN as part of their live TV packages. Sling TV's Orange plan costs $40.99 per month and includes ESPN; Hulu + Live TV costs $76.99 per month. Both are more expensive than YouTube TV's current price but less than YouTube TV was before the price cut.

If you only watch specific sports, check whether the league itself streams games. The NFL has Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video; MLB has some games on Apple TV+; the NBA has NBA League Pass for out-of-market games. These options do not replace ESPN but can fill some gaps.

What happened to your recordings and saved shows

Any show or game you recorded from ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, FX, or National Geographic before December 9 is no longer playable. YouTube TV deleted these recordings when the channels were removed, and you cannot recover them. If you had set up a series recording for a show on one of those channels, that recording stopped automatically.

This is different from a temporary outage—the content is permanently gone from your account. YouTube TV did not offer a grace period to read recordings or a refund for the lost content.

Whether YouTube TV might get ESPN back

There is no announced timeline for a new agreement between YouTube and Disney. Carriage disputes can last weeks, months, or even longer. In 2022, YouTube TV and Fox were in a dispute for about three weeks before reaching a deal. In other cases, services have gone without channels for several months.

Disney has not publicly stated what it would take to bring the channels back to YouTube TV. YouTube has not said whether it plans to resume negotiations. Until one of them announces progress, assume the channels will remain unavailable.

If you need ESPN regularly, switching to a different service now rather than waiting is probably the safer choice. You can always switch back to YouTube TV later if the channels return.

How the price cut affects your bill

YouTube TV's base plan dropped from $72.99 to $57.99 per month—a $15 reduction. If you were paying for YouTube TV before December 9, your next bill after the removal reflected this lower price automatically. You did not have to do anything to receive the discount.

The lower price applies only to the base plan. YouTube TV still offers add-on packages for sports, international channels, and premium movie channels, which cost extra. The base plan now includes fewer channels overall, so the price cut is partly a reflection of what you are actually getting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund for the time I paid for ESPN before it was removed?

No. YouTube TV did not offer refunds for the channels that were removed. The price cut that followed is the only compensation subscribers received. If you had a monthly subscription, the lower price applies to your next billing cycle.

Will ABC games and shows come back to YouTube TV?

ABC is owned by Disney, so it depends on the same negotiation as ESPN. If YouTube and Disney reach a new carriage agreement, ABC would likely return at the same time as ESPN. Until then, ABC remains unavailable on YouTube TV.

Can I watch ESPN games on my phone or computer without YouTube TV?

Yes, if you have an ESPN+ subscription or a cable login. ESPN+ streams some games directly. If you have cable or another streaming service that includes ESPN (like Hulu + Live TV or Sling TV), you can use the ESPN app and sign in with that provider's credentials to watch live games.

Did YouTube TV remove any other channels besides Disney ones?

Only Disney-owned channels were removed: ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, FX, and National Geographic. Other channels on YouTube TV, including sports networks like Fox Sports and NBC Sports, remain available.

Is YouTube TV still worth it without ESPN?

That depends on what you watch. YouTube TV still carries most major networks and cable channels, and the $57.99 price is competitive with other live TV services. If ESPN was your main reason for subscribing, you may find better value in a service that includes it or in ESPN+ combined with another streaming option.