Disney Warns YouTube TV Could Drop ESPN and ABC by Oct 30

Walt Disney Co. alerted viewers this week that its channels, including ESPN and ABC, could be removed from YouTube TV if the companies do not reach a new carriage agreement before their contract expires on Oct. 30. The notice, which Disney began broadcasting to viewers, warns subscribers that they risk losing access to live sports and network programming carried on the Google-owned streaming service unless negotiators finalize terms by the deadline.

Disney said it has asked YouTube TV for the same package flexibility and rates it offers to other distribution partners and has determined YouTube’s proposed rates are below market. The company warned that, absent a deal, YouTube TV customers could lose ESPN, ABC and other marquee programming such as NFL, college football, NBA and NHL broadcasts. YouTube TV, which offers a bundle of traditional channels to roughly 10 million subscribers, said in turn that Disney is seeking economic terms that would force it to raise prices for customers and would favor Disney’s own live-TV offerings, including Hulu Live TV and the soon to be acquired Fubo. “We’ve been working in good faith to negotiate a deal with Disney that pays them fairly for...