What's Happening?
A significant decline in viewership for SEC games broadcast on ABC has been reported following a contract dispute between Disney and YouTube TV. The disagreement resulted in approximately 10 million YouTube TV subscribers losing access to ESPN, ABC, and other
Disney channels on October 30, 2025. This blackout coincided with a busy sports weekend, affecting the viewership of ESPN's College GameDay and several major college football games. According to Sports Illustrated's Brian Fischer, the viewership for ESPN's weekend network broadcasts on ABC dropped by an average of 32.5% compared to the previous week. The outage also impacted conference-specific channels like the SEC and ACC Networks, which are significant draws for fall sports audiences.
Why It's Important?
The viewership decline highlights the impact of carriage disputes on sports broadcasting and the potential financial implications for networks and advertisers. The loss of access to popular sports programming can lead to subscriber dissatisfaction and potential loss of revenue for both the service provider and the network. This situation underscores the importance of carriage agreements in the media industry, particularly for sports networks that rely heavily on live viewership. The ongoing negotiations between Disney and Google, YouTube's parent company, over programming fees and distribution rights, are crucial for restoring access and viewership levels.
What's Next?
As negotiations continue, subscribers are being encouraged to switch providers or sign up for ESPN's standalone streaming service to maintain access to Disney's channels. Competitors like Hulu + Live TV and Sling still carry Disney's suite of channels, offering alternatives for affected viewers. The resolution of this dispute will be closely watched by industry stakeholders, as it may set precedents for future carriage negotiations and impact the strategies of other streaming services and networks.
