When Disney and YouTube TV Clashed, Millions of Country Music Fans Almost Missed the CMA Awards—Here’s the Shocking Backstory. ML
While cable used to dominate the entertainment industry, that power now rests in the hands of streaming platforms. Taking off practically overnight, streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Paramount+ offer a sea of shows and movies at a fraction of the price. Well, with platforms raising their prices, streaming is quickly becoming the same price as cable. Not wanting to force high prices on customers, YouTube and Disney found themselves in a dispute that nearly cost millions of country music fans the CMA Awards.
With Disney owning networks like ESPN and ABC, the company decided to bring some new terms to the table when negotiating a contract with YouTube, which is owned by Google. According to YouTube, Disney wanted to significantly increase the price to broadcast their networks.
Not giving in to Disney’s demands, subscribers watched as the company pulled ABC and ESPN from YouTube TV. And for those wondering, the platform has 10 million active users. The decision from Disney cost the company nearly $30 million a week. With the college football season currently underway, users were unable to access certain games. For those hoping to catch the latest episode of Dancing With the Stars, they also found the show pulled from the service.
Disney And YouTube Ink Deal Before CMA Awards
At the time of the dispute, YouTube released a statement, reading, “Our current agreement with Disney has approached its renewal date, and we will not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products. Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to reach a fair deal.”
Turning to the CMA Awards, country music’s biggest night, will air on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Promoting special performances from stars like Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Kenny Chesney, Riley Green, and numerous others, Disney worked to reach an agreement with YouTube, which they eventually did.
Excited to bring ABC and ESPN back to YouTubeTV, the platform tweeted, “We’re happy to share that we’ve reached a deal with Disney to bring their content back to YouTube TV. Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN, and FX returning to their service over the course of the day. Thanks for your patience and for being a valued member.”
While country music fans can rest easy, don’t miss the 2025 CMA Awards, airing live at 8:00 pm. ET/PT on ABC and available to stream the following day on Hulu.
