Nearly 25% of YouTube TV’s 10 million subscribers have already canceled or plan to cancel the $83/month service because Disney-owned channels—ESPN, ABC, FX, and 16 others—went dark on October 30 after the companies failed to renew their carriage deal, a new Drive Research survey of 1,107 users reveals.
The same poll shows churn could explode: 82% say they are “likely” to drop YouTube TV if the blackout drags on, with 30% already adding or planning to add Hulu + Live TV or ESPN Unlimited to keep Disney content.
Among YouTube TV subscribers in the Drive survey, the reasons they were or are subscribers show how high the stakes are for this dispute:
- 56% subscribed to watch live sports
- 43% point to the overall channel lineup
- 33% subscribed specifically to watch ABC programming
- 27% say NFL Sunday Ticket access played a role
Google blames Disney for demanding “costly” rate hikes that would force price increases on customers; Disney counters that YouTube TV is refusing “fair rates” and using its market power to “eliminate competition.”
Subscribers have now missed two weeks of college football, Monday Night Football, and Election Night coverage on ABC. YouTube TV is offering $10 off for six months plus a one-time $20 credit, but only 30% of surveyed users say that’s enough to stay.
YouTube disputes the poll, telling Variety its actual cancellation rate “does not align” with the 24% figure and remains “manageable.”
This is YouTube TV’s fifth carriage fight in 2025; Disney channels have blacked out on major providers for 10–13 days in each of the past three years. Analysts expect a deal before Thanksgiving, but both sides have leverage—Disney owns rival live-TV bundles, Google has deep pockets—and neither is blinking yet.