© Miguel Legoas / USA TODAY NETWORK
Disney is bleeding money after removing its networks from YouTube TV, according to an industry expert.
Nearly two weeks ago, Disney and YouTube TV got into a bitter standoff over carriage fees.
In a memo to employees, Disney execs blasted YouTube TV over their negotiation tactics.
“Rather than compete on a level playing field, Google’s YouTube TV has approached these negotiations as if it were the only player in the game,” the memo read. It was signed by three high-ranking Disney executives, Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
YouTube TV fired back, accusing Disney of “misrepresenting the facts.”
“Once again, Disney is resorting to their old tactics like leaking documents to the press, negotiating in public through their paid talent and misrepresenting the facts including from the deals they’ve offered and taking credit for our product proposals. Our team stands ready to make a fair agreement in line with their deals with other distributors and we encourage Disney to come to the table and do what’s best for our mutual customers.”
On Tuesday, Morgan Stanley analyst Ben Swinburne estimated that Disney is losing $4.3 million every day they’re not on YouTube TV.
Via Business Insider
Disney is likely to face a $60 million revenue shortfall from its YouTube TV blackout, Morgan Stanley analyst Ben Swinburne wrote in a Sunday note. That’s based on the assumption that the standoff, which has gone on for 11 days so far, will last for 14 days.
In other words, Disney is losing $30 million a week, or about $4.3 million each day, because its channels aren’t on YouTube TV, Swinburne estimates.
While there appears to be no end in sight in the dispute, YouTube TV is currently offering subscribers a $20 credit for this month.
Heads up: YouTube TV is giving a $20 credit to subscribers over the Disney/ESPN mess, but you have to actually go into the settings to claim it.
This is not a spam tweet, the settings page link is here: https://t.co/wBbnEZDyRN pic.twitter.com/RZHW4a84bB
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) November 10, 2025