Over the weekend, YouTube TV and Disney finally ended their two-week contract dispute, returning ESPN, ABC and other Disney-owned channels to YouTube's live TV streaming service. But this new deal doesn't just get ESPN back on YouTube TV; it also hints at a future where the cable TV alternative can offer skinnier genre-specific packages.
“Select networks to be included in various genre-specific packages.”
Disney announcement on YouTube TV deal
In Disney’s announcement of the multiyear distribution agreement, the media giant included a very curious line: “Select networks to be included in various genre-specific packages.” At the moment, that's just corporate speak, but we think it hints that YouTube TV could soon offer channel packages that are cheaper and smaller than its current offerings. Specifically, we think that YouTube TV could soon offer a sports-focused channels package, but the use of the word “various” suggests that Google could be working on other genre-specific offerings.
This isn't the first we've heard of such a possibility. Earlier this year, 9to5Google reported that YouTube TV was considering a “Sports & Broadcast” package during its negotiations with Fox. At the time, it would have specifically focused on Fox-owned channels, including FS1 and Fox News. But now, it seems Disney may be on board with a "Sports & Broadcast" package as well.
Disney has a complicated history with allowing these skinny streaming packages. DirecTV currently offers Genre Packs that include Disney-owned channels and streaming services, as does Fubo. But Disney has also sued Sling TV over its new Day Passes, which offer access to live channels for a day, weekend or week, rather than making potential subscribers pay for a full monthly subscription. It's worth noting, though, that Sling just won a preliminary injunction in that case.
Now, as for what could be in this hypothetical new "Sports & Broadcast" plan? That's still very much under wraps. But we would expect it to probably include ESPN, ESPN 2 and other Disney-owned sports networks, as well as ABC and access to the ESPN Unlimited streaming service. Anything beyond that would require buy-in from other companies such as Fox, Paramount (owns CBS) and Comcast (owns NBC), though it seems Fox at least is theoretically open to the idea.
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