Disney and YouTubeTV announced a carrier deal late Friday that will restore ABC, ESPN and the media conglomerate’s other content to the Google-owned streaming service.
The deal came after a two-week standoff between the pair of media giants that left an estimated 10 million YouTubeTV subscribers without access to top college football and NFL games as well as popular primetime shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and ABC News coverage.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We’re happy to share that we’ve reached a deal with Disney to bring their content back to YouTube TV,” the streamer said as it announced news of the deal, saying subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN and FX returning to their service “over the course of the day.”
As part of the deal, ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service will be made available at no additional cost to YouTubeTV subscribers, the companies said.
“This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch,’’ Disney leadership said in a joint statement. “It recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice.”
YouTubeTV earlier this week offered a $20 rebate for customers for the service disruption, while top ESPN personalities used social media and their perches at the worldwide leader in sports to urge viewers to pressure YouTubeTV to make a deal with its parent company.
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Disney, like all major media companies, is under increasing pressure to invest heavily in streaming bundles as more consumers turn away from traditional cable packages in favor of online content platforms.
