What you need to know
- A leaked Disney memo showcased the company's stance on YouTube TV negotiations.
- YouTube TV responded with an aggressive statement that claimed Disney intentionally leaked the document to the press.
- Neither side appears ready to back down as 21 channels remain dark on YouTube TV.
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To offer a wide-range of traditional cable networks on its live TV streaming service, YouTube TV frequently enters negotiations with legacy media companies. Google successfully negotiated public bouts with NBCUniversal, Paramount, and Fox this year, but its ongoing battle with Disney appears to be different. Disney's 21 channels have been unavailable on YouTube TV since Oct. 31 as the talks drag on into their second week.
Both sides have took to their various channels and platforms to advocate for a "fair" deal. The situation escalated Friday, Nov. 7 when an internal Disney memo leaked to the press — penned by Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN's chairman, and Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, the co-chairs of Disney Entertainment. The Athletic's Andrew Marchand obtained the document, which accused YouTube TV as demanding special treatment:
Rather than compete on a level playing field, Google’s YouTube TV has approached these negotiations as if it were the only player in the game...It goes without saying that the reason so many consumers value our programming above others is because we invest in the best talent, creators and content in the world, and we cannot allow anyone to undercut our ability to do so.
Disney's leaked internal memo
YouTube TV responded with a strong statement alleging Disney intentionally leaked the memo to The Athletic.
"Once again, Disney is resorting to their old tactics like leaking documents to the press, negotiating in public through their paid talent and misrepresenting the facts including from the deals they’ve offered and taking credit for our product proposals," YouTube TV told Marchand, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter).
"Our team stands ready to make a fair agreement in line with their deals with other distributors and we encourage Disney to come to the table and do what's best for our mutual customers."
YouTube response: “Once again, Disney is resorting to their old tactics like leaking documents to the press, negotiating in public through their paid talent and misrepresenting the facts including from the deals they’ve offered and taking credit for our product proposals. Our… https://t.co/ArfTLyEeuvNovember 7, 2025
The statement also criticized Disney's use of its on-air talent, including major personalities like Stephen A. Smith, to try and sway public interest in the company's favor. Pat McAfee, a sports personality who appears on-air for ESPN in multiple capacities, similarly criticized the strategy (via Awful Announcing):
We need each other. A lot of people saying ‘greedy corporations,’ it’s like, yeah. We need each other, especially with where sports are right now. And we’re in the middle of it, so let’s get it done. And stop asking me to go to a website. I don’t want to do that, so stop … all you’re doing is pissing everybody off even more. So it’s like, let’s just not do that.
Pat McAfee
In the leaked internal memo, Disney also expressed an unwillingness to budge from its stance on the ongoing content negotiations. "YouTube TV continues to insist on receiving preferential terms that are below market and has made few concessions," the memo reads.
In the meantime, both Google and Disney customers end up losing out. The companies aren't faring well, either. Disney is said to be losing about $5 million per day in YouTube TV subscriber fees while its channels remain dark (via Awful Announcing). YouTube TV is handing out a $10 monthly credit to subscribers while Disney channels are unavailable.
