ESPN is no longer available on YouTube TV as of May 2024
YouTube TV and Disney (which owns ESPN) ended their carriage agreement in May 2024, meaning ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+ content is not included in YouTube TV subscriptions anymore. If you were watching ESPN through YouTube TV, those channels disappeared from your guide on that date. YouTube TV did not remove other sports channels — Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and regional sports networks remain available — but the Disney-owned sports networks are gone.
This was a contract dispute, not a technical issue. YouTube TV and Disney could not agree on the price YouTube TV would pay to carry ESPN channels. Disney wanted more money per subscriber; YouTube TV declined. When negotiations failed, Disney pulled the channels. The same thing has happened before with other networks and streaming services, and it can happen again.
Key Takeaways
- ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+ are not part of YouTube TV anymore as of May 2024, and there is no date set for them to return.
- You can still watch ESPN games through the ESPN app or ESPN.com if you have a cable or streaming login from another provider.
- Other sports channels including Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and regional networks remain on YouTube TV.
- If you want ESPN included in a streaming bundle, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV's main competitor, still carries ESPN channels.
How to watch ESPN without YouTube TV
The ESPN app and ESPN.com let you stream most ESPN games and shows if you log in with credentials from another TV provider. This includes cable accounts, satellite accounts, or other streaming services. If you have a Comcast, Charter, DirecTV, or similar account under your name or a family member's name, you can use those login details in the ESPN app to unlock full access.
If you do not have another TV provider login, you have two other routes. ESPN+ is Disney's standalone streaming service that costs about $11 per month and includes some games, original shows, and sports content that does not air on cable ESPN. It does not include live broadcasts of major college football or NFL games that air on ESPN the cable channel — those still require a cable login or a live TV streaming service.
The third option is to switch to a different live TV streaming service. Hulu + Live TV includes ESPN, ESPN2, and other Disney channels, plus local channels and cable networks. It costs more than YouTube TV (around $77 per month before tax) but includes the ESPN channels YouTube TV no longer carries.
What sports content YouTube TV still has
YouTube TV carries Fox Sports channels, which means you can watch NFL games on Fox, college football on Fox, and some MLB games. NBC Sports is also on YouTube TV, so you get Sunday Night Football, some NHL games, and Premier League soccer. Regional sports networks vary by location but are available in most markets, so you can still watch local NBA, NHL, and MLB teams.
The gap is mainly in ESPN's exclusive games and shows. ESPN holds the rights to Monday Night Football, many college football games, the College Football Playoff, and the NCAA Tournament. If those are the sports you watch most, losing ESPN is a real problem. If you mainly watch NFL on Fox or Sunday, or local teams on regional networks, you may not notice the change much.
Why carriage disputes happen and how often they occur
Carriage disputes occur when a network owner and a distributor (like YouTube TV) cannot agree on how much the distributor should pay to carry the network's channels. Networks want higher fees; distributors want to keep costs down so they can keep subscription prices low. When neither side gives in, the network gets pulled.
These disputes happen regularly. Sinclair Regional Sports Networks, Bally Sports channels, and various cable news networks have all been removed from streaming services in recent years. Most disputes last weeks to months, but some last longer. YouTube TV and Disney's dispute has now lasted over a year with no public sign of resolution, so treating ESPN as permanently gone from YouTube TV is the safer assumption.
Whether to stay with YouTube TV or switch
If ESPN is essential to your viewing, switching to Hulu + Live TV makes sense, even though it costs more. You get ESPN channels included, plus most of the same networks YouTube TV has. The trade-off is price — Hulu + Live TV is roughly $15 to $20 more per month depending on current promotions.
If you can live without ESPN on your main TV service, you can stay with YouTube TV and use the ESPN app on your phone, tablet, or computer when you want to watch ESPN games. This works if you have a cable login from another source. If you do not have another login and do not want to pay for ESPN+ separately, this option does not work.
A third path is to downgrade YouTube TV and use the money saved to pay for ESPN+ or a different service. YouTube TV's base plan is around $73 per month; if you drop to a cheaper option and add ESPN+ at $11 per month, you might come out ahead depending on what you watch.
What to do if you had YouTube TV for ESPN
If you subscribed to YouTube TV mainly to watch ESPN, contact YouTube TV support and ask about your options. Some customers have received partial refunds or credits when major channels are removed, though YouTube TV is not required to offer them. It is worth asking, especially if you have been a long-term subscriber.
Check your YouTube TV bill to see if you are on a promotional rate that is about to expire. If your rate is about to jump, the ESPN removal might be a good time to reassess whether the service still makes sense for you at the higher price. You can pause your subscription for up to three months if you want to test another service without canceling completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will ESPN come back to YouTube TV?
There is no announced date for ESPN to return. Negotiations between YouTube TV and Disney have not resulted in a new agreement as of now. Carriage disputes can last months or years, so it is possible but not certain. Check YouTube TV's support page occasionally for updates, but do not count on ESPN returning soon.
Can I watch Monday Night Football without ESPN or a cable login?
Monday Night Football airs on ESPN, so you need either a cable login to use the ESPN app, an ESPN+ subscription (which does not include Monday Night Football), or a live TV streaming service that carries ESPN like Hulu + Live TV. There is no free legal way to watch it without one of those.
Does YouTube TV have any ESPN content at all now?
No. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and all other Disney-owned sports channels were removed. YouTube TV does carry other sports networks like Fox Sports and NBC Sports, but not ESPN.
Is ESPN+ the same as ESPN on cable?
No. ESPN+ is a separate streaming service that includes some games and original content, but it does not include live broadcasts of major games that air on the ESPN cable channel, like Monday Night Football or the College Football Playoff. You need a cable login or Hulu + Live TV for those.
What if I share a cable login with a family member to watch ESPN?
Using someone else's cable login in the ESPN app is technically against the terms of service, though enforcement is uncommon. The safer legal option is to have that family member add you as an authorized user on their account, which most cable providers allow.