YouTube TV dropped ESPN in September 2024

YouTube TV removed ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3 from its channel lineup on September 30, 2024, after negotiations between YouTube and Disney (which owns ESPN) broke down over pricing. The channels are no longer available to any YouTube TV subscriber, regardless of which plan you have. If you were watching ESPN through YouTube TV, you lost access to those channels on that date.

This was not a temporary outage or a regional issue—it was a permanent removal. YouTube TV and Disney could not reach an agreement on what YouTube would pay to carry the sports channels, so Disney pulled them from the service. This kind of dispute happens periodically in the streaming world when a content owner and a distributor cannot agree on fees.

Key Takeaways

  • ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3 are no longer part of YouTube TV as of September 30, 2024, due to a contract dispute between YouTube and Disney.
  • YouTube TV did not remove other sports channels like Fox Sports, NBC Sports, or regional sports networks—only the ESPN-branded channels went away.
  • If you subscribed to YouTube TV specifically for ESPN, you can cancel without penalty during the dispute and switch to another service that carries ESPN.
  • Other streaming services still carry ESPN, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV's main competitor for live sports.

Which channels are still available on YouTube TV

YouTube TV still carries most major sports networks. You can watch Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, NBC Sports Network, CNBC, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, NHL Network, and regional sports networks that cover local teams. The removal only affected the ESPN family of channels.

If you follow a specific sport, check whether the games you want to watch air on one of the remaining channels. Many college football games, for example, air on Fox or ABC (which YouTube TV carries). NBA games appear on ESPN, but also on ABC, TNT, and NBA TV. NFL games are split across multiple networks, and YouTube TV still has most of them.

Why YouTube TV and Disney could not agree

Disney asked YouTube to pay more money to carry ESPN than YouTube was willing to pay. Streaming services have been pushing back on rising sports costs for years, because live sports rights are expensive and keep getting more expensive. YouTube TV decided the cost was too high and chose to drop the channels rather than raise prices further or absorb the cost itself.

This is not unique to YouTube TV. Similar disputes have happened with other services—Roku and YouTube TV both dropped Fox channels in 2022 over pricing disagreements, and those channels eventually came back. It is possible YouTube TV and Disney could reach a new deal in the future, but there is no timeline for that and no may provide it will happen.

Alternatives if you need ESPN

Hulu + Live TV is the main competitor to YouTube TV and still carries ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. It costs more than YouTube TV's base plan but includes a broader range of channels overall. Sling TV offers ESPN as part of its Orange plan, which is cheaper than Hulu + Live TV but has fewer total channels. YouTube TV's own base plan is now cheaper than it was before the ESPN removal, since YouTube lowered the price when the channels were dropped.

If you only watch ESPN occasionally, you might also consider the ESPN+ streaming service, which is separate from the ESPN channels on cable and live TV services. ESPN+ has some exclusive games and shows, but it does not carry all the same content as the live ESPN channels. Many people use ESPN+ alongside a live TV service rather than as a replacement.

What to do if you subscribed for ESPN

YouTube TV allows you to cancel your subscription at any time without an early termination fee. If you signed up primarily to watch ESPN and no longer want the service without those channels, you can cancel when ready. You will not be charged for the next billing cycle once you cancel.

Before you cancel, check whether YouTube TV carries the other sports you watch. If you also follow NFL, NBA, or college sports on other networks, YouTube TV might still be worth keeping. But if ESPN was your main reason for subscribing, switching to Hulu + Live TV or another service that carries ESPN makes sense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will ESPN come back to YouTube TV?

There is no official timeline for that. YouTube and Disney would need to reach a new agreement on pricing, which could happen but is not may provide. Similar disputes in the past have eventually been resolved, but some have lasted months or longer.

Can I watch ESPN games any other way through YouTube TV?

No. Some ESPN games air on ABC (which YouTube TV carries), but the ESPN-branded channels themselves are completely gone. You cannot access ESPN through YouTube TV in any form right now.

Did YouTube TV refund subscribers for losing ESPN?

YouTube TV did not issue refunds for the ESPN removal. The company lowered its base subscription price by $15 per month when the channels were dropped, which applies to all new and existing subscribers going forward.

Are other sports channels still on YouTube TV?

Yes. Fox Sports, NBC Sports, regional sports networks, and specialty sports channels like NFL Network and NBA TV remain available. The removal only affected ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3.

What is the difference between ESPN+ and the ESPN channels on YouTube TV?

ESPN+ is a separate streaming service with exclusive games and original shows, but it does not carry the same live broadcasts as the ESPN cable channels. Many people use both—ESPN+ for exclusive content and a live TV service for the main ESPN broadcasts.