Disney and YouTube TV reached a brand new deal to convey channels like ABC and ESPN again to the Google-owned dwell streaming platform Friday, ending a blackout for patrons that dragged on for about two weeks.

“As a part of the brand new deal, Disney’s full suite of networks and stations – together with ESPN and ABC – have already begun to be restored to YouTube TV subscribers,” The Walt Disney Co. mentioned in an announcement. “We’re happy that our networks have been restored in time for followers to benefit from the many nice programming choices this weekend, together with school soccer.”

Disney content material had gone darkish on YouTube TV the evening of Oct. 30, after the 2 sides failed to succeed in a brand new licensing deal. Within the days that adopted, YouTube TV subscribers had been left with out Disney channels on the platform — notably disrupting protection of prime U.S. school soccer matchups {and professional} sports activities video games, amongst different information and leisure choices.

Past ESPN and ABC, different Disney-owned content material faraway from YouTube TV in the course of the deadlock included channels like NatGeo, FX, Freeform, SEC Community, ACC Community and extra.

On the time the carriage dispute reached its boiling level, YouTube TV mentioned that Disney was proposing phrases that might be too expensive, leading to larger costs and fewer decisions for its subscribers. And the platform accused Disney of utilizing the blackout “as a negotiating tactic” — claiming that the transfer additionally benefited Disney’s personal streaming merchandise like Hulu + Reside TV and Fubo.

Disney, in the meantime, mentioned that YouTube TV had refused to pay honest charges for its channels. The California leisure large additionally accused Google of “utilizing its market dominance to eradicate competitors.” And executives blasted the platform for pulling content material “previous to the midnight expiration” of their deal final month.

On Nov. 3, Disney additionally requested YouTube TV to revive ABC programming for Election Day on Nov. 4 to place “the general public curiosity first.” However YouTube TV mentioned this non permanent reprieve would confuse clients — and as an alternative proposed that the leisure large agree to revive each its ABC and ESPN channels whereas the 2 sides continued negotiations.

The blackout marked the newest in a rising checklist of licensing disputes in as we speak’s streaming world. And customers typically pay the value.

From sports activities occasions to awards reveals, dwell programming that was as soon as reserved for broadcast has more and more made its manner into the streaming world through the years, as an increasing number of customers ditch conventional cable or satellite tv for pc TV subscriptions for content material they’ll get on-line. However amid rising competitors, renewing carriage agreements may also imply tense contract negotiations — and at occasions service disruptions.

YouTube TV and Disney have been down this highway earlier than. In 2021, YouTube TV subscribers additionally briefly misplaced entry to all Disney content material on the platform after an analogous contract breakdown between the 2 firms. That outage lasted lower than two days, with the businesses finally reaching an settlement.

In the meantime, YouTube TV has eliminated different networks from its platform after expired agreements. Spanish-language broadcaster Univision has been unavailable on YouTube TV since Sept. 30, for instance. On the time, its mother or father firm TelevisaUnivision decried Google’s transfer — noting it will strip “tens of millions of Hispanic viewers of the Spanish-language information, sports activities, and leisure they depend on every single day” and known as on the platform to reverse course. 

YouTube TV’s base subscription plan prices $82.99 monthly — which, past Disney content material, presently consists of dwell TV choices from networks like NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS and extra. The platform beforehand mentioned it will give subscribers a $20 credit score if its dispute with Disney lasted “an prolonged time period” — which it reportedly allowed clients to begin claiming on Nov. 9.

Disney additionally doles out dwell TV by way of each conventional broadcasting and its personal lineup of streaming platforms. ESPN launched its personal streamer earlier this yr, beginning at $29.99 a month. And different Disney content material could be discovered on platforms like Hulu, Disney+ and Fubo. Disney presently permits individuals to bundle ESPN together with Hulu and Disney+ for $35.99 a month — or $29.99 a month for the primary yr.