Two streaming giants are fighting, and sports fans are paying the price. Disney and YouTube TV failed to reach an agreement on a new distribution deal last night, which led to Disney pulling its channels, including ABC and the ESPN family of networks, from YouTube TV an hour before the midnight deadline. That puts an entire college football Saturday, including Kentucky vs. Auburn, which will air on SEC Network tomorrow night, at risk for YouTube TV’s over 10 million subscribers.
Carriage disputes are not uncommon these days, but typically, deals are reached in the final hours.