YouTube TV’s feud with Disney cost ESPN some serious money

Last year, in October, Google announced it was in negotiations with Disney to keep networks like ABC and ESPN on YouTube TV. As the two parties failed to reach an agreement before the then-existing licensing deal expired, a Disney media blackout ensued. Although both corporations were predicted to lose millions during the blackout, the situation wasn’t resolved until mid-November. Now we’re starting to learn just how big a financial impact that blackout had on Disney.

Live sports are one of YouTube TV’s biggest draws, with Disney’s sports broadcasting arm, ESPN, playing one of the biggest roles in that offering. As it turns out, being off air on YouTube TV had a significant impact on ESPN’s bottom line. According to Cord Cutters News, ESPN lost over $110 million in operational income during its fiscal year-end quarter for 2025 due to the 15-day blackout.

It’s reported that analysts projected ESPN would lose around $4.3 million every day the blackout lasted. This number is connected to the value of affiliate expenses and advertising fees tied to the network. In reality, the sports broadcaster ended up losing more than $7 million per day.

Although this blackout resulted in a 23% drop in operating income, down to $191 million, it’s not all doom and gloom for ESPN. The company is said to have reported a total revenue of $4.9 billion, giving it a 1% year-over-year increase. On top of that, ESPN reportedly saw a 10% increase in advertising revenue.

Additionally, it appears the blackout may have benefited Disney in other ways. As YouTube TV users were looking for alternatives to get their live sports coverage, some of those users turned to direct-to-consumer offerings, like ESPN Unlimited, which launched in August 2025. Users also reportedly became more interested in Disney Plus and Hulu bundles that included ESPN Unlimited.