Walt Disney Co. is losing approximately $30 million in revenue per week as its channels, including ESPN and ABC, remain blacked out on YouTube TV, according to a Morgan Stanley analysis released Monday, intensifying pressure to resolve a contract dispute that has entered its second week and disrupted programming for roughly 10 million subscribers during a peak sports season.
The blackout began October 30 after negotiations between Disney and YouTube TV’s parent company, Google, collapsed over carriage fees and bundling terms. Disney-owned networks—including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ABC, Disney Channel, Freeform, FX, and National Geographic—are no longer available on the streaming service, forcing subscribers to miss live events such as “Monday Night Football,” NBA regular-season games, and major college football matchups.
Morgan Stanley estimates the weekly $30 million revenue hit stems primarily from lost affiliate fees that Disney would have collected from YouTube TV. The figure assumes an average per-subscriber fee of about $3 for Disney’s linear channels, multiplied across the service’s estimated 10 million users. The analysis notes that the financial damage compounds daily, with no resolution in sight and both sides publicly blaming the other for failed talks.
YouTube TV has promoted alternative viewing options and offered a temporary $10 monthly credit to affected users, but the credit does not offset Disney’s lost fees. Meanwhile, Disney has encouraged subscribers to switch to its own streaming platforms, such as Hulu + Live TV, which carries its full channel lineup.
Industry observers say the standoff reflects broader tensions in the shift from traditional cable to streaming bundles. YouTube TV, priced at $82.99 per month after recent increases, has grown into a top virtual pay-TV provider but faces margin pressure as content costs rise. Disney, meanwhile, is pushing to maintain per-subscriber rates amid cord-cutting trends that have eroded its linear TV audience.
Neither company has signaled an imminent breakthrough. YouTube TV issued a statement saying it offered Disney “fair rates” consistent with similar deals, while Disney countered that YouTube TV refused terms granted to other distributors.