Update (10/31): YouTube TV subscribers woke up to bad news this Halloween. Disney, owner of ABC, ESPN and more, has failed to reach an agreement with YouTube to keep its channels on YouTube TV. As of midnight ET on October 31, ABC, ESPN, and more have been removed from YouTube TV, and per Variety, the two sides remain far apart on striking a new deal to bring them back. In addition to losing live channels, YouTube TV is also removing any DVR library recordings made from Disney networks.
YouTube has noted that if Disney's networks remain unavailable for "an extended period," subscribers will get a $20 credit. However, with a new deal seemingly still far from close, you may want to consider switching to an alternative live TV streaming service. And we've got three top picks below.
Original story follows...
Over 10 million YouTube TV subscribers just lost access to all Disney-owned networks, including ESPN and ABC. At midnight on Oct. 30, the distribution deal between Disney, which owns ESPN, ABC and numerous other networks, ended, and at present, there's no deal in place to keep the networks on the nation's most popular live TV streaming service.
There's reportedly been some movement on a new deal, but nothing super promising. According to Jacob Feldman at Sportico, YouTube TV and Disney are discussing launching a “skinny bundle” of select channels at a lower price point designed specifically for sports fans. Fubo and DirecTV already offer similar products, and I will be surprised if YouTube TV doesn't ultimately leave these negotiations with a sports-only plan available to consumers.
Both sides are pointing fingers, obviously. Speaking to Deadline on Friday, a YouTube executive involved in the negotiations said Disney has a "very antiquated view that the customer should be forced to pay for the full portfolio," which is why the talks stalled. Disney is demanding steep carriage fees for its broad portfolio of channels, including those with "flat-ish" viewing in recent years, and the company has been "unnecessarily aggressive and assertive” in negotiations, according to the YouTube Executive. In a statement to USA TODAY, Disney said it remains "committed to working toward a resolution as quickly as possible.”
But you might be ready to jump ship now, even though YouTube TV has said it will give customers a $20 credit if the cable replacement loses Disney-owned networks. Lucky for you, I've got you covered. Here are the three streaming services I'd recommend to ensure you get your Disney fix if YouTube TV loses Disney-owned networks, including ESPN and ABC.
3 live TV streaming services still offering Disney
Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited bundle
Let's say you've decided you just want everything Disney. You're done with all the other stuff live TV streaming services have to offer; you just want as much Disney content as possible for the lowest price.
Well, then the Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited bundle might be the right option for you. This bundle gives you Disney Plus (with ads), Hulu (with ads) and every ESPN linear TV network. That means you get: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes, ESPN on ABC, ESPN Plus, ESPN3, SEC Network Plus and ACC Network Extra, plus everything the other two streaming services have to offer, all for one low price.
Right now, ESPN is running a promotion where for 12 months, you can get Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited all for just $29.99, which is the list price for just ESPN Unlimited. That means you're getting Disney Plus and Hulu for free. Once your 12 months are up, the bundle price reverts to $35.99 a month.
Hulu with Live TV
If you like YouTube TV and want as similar a user experience as possible, you'll want Hulu with Live TV. This live TV streaming service is very similar to YouTube TV — similar features, channels, etc. — and, since it's owned by Disney, it's not losing Disney-owned networks, ever.
Plus, right now, you can get Hulu with Live TV for just $64.99 a month for your first three months. That's $18 a month less than the $82.99 list price for YouTube TV, and still $8 cheaper than YouTube TV's current introductory offer, which is $10 off a month for your first three months of YouTube TV. Once your three-month promotional period expires, the price for Hulu with Live TV reverts to $89.99 a month.
But, you're not just getting a live TV service with Hulu with Live TV. Hulu's cable replacement also includes ESPN Unlimited, Disney Plus (with ads) and Hulu (with ads), all included in your subscription. So once your promotion expires, you're still getting good value for your money.
DirecTV Genre Packs
Maybe you've decided you just want sports. You want ESPN, Fox Sports, NFL Network, etc. Or, maybe you don't want any sports, but you want Disney Plus, Hulu and tons of entertainment channels. Then DirecTV might have the right solution for you: Genre Packs. These are "skinny" bundles that only offer channels and streaming services for a specific genre, like entertainment, sports, news, etc.
For those who just want sports, you'll want the MySports Genre Pack. This includes ESPN Unlimited and over 20 channels, including local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates (varies by market) as well as FS1, NBA TV, NFL Network, TBS, TNT and more. Right now, you can get MySports for $59.99 a month for your first two months (normally $69.99 a month), or you can get MySports and MySports Extra for the same price (normally $82.99 a month) and get NFL RedZone added to your MySports plan.
If you're just looking for entertainment, you'll want the MyEntertainment Genre Pack. This includes HBO Max Basic with Ads, Disney Plus (with ads) and Hulu (with ads), as well as over 50 channels, including AMC, Bravo, FX, MTV and more. Right now, you can get MyEntertainment for $29.99 a month for your first two months.
Ironically, MyEntertainment doesn't include the Disney Channel, Disney Jr. or Disney XD; you'll want the MyKids Genre Pack ($19.99+tax a month) for that. But with Disney Plus, most content from those channels will eventually be available to you via Disney's streaming service.
Note: DirecTV prices do not include taxes and fees
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