YouTube TV and Disney appear close on ESPN and ABC deal, but other channels could stay dark

The battle between Google and Disney hasn't slowed down, leaving YouTube TV subscribers to decide whether to wait it out or switch to one of the best live TV streaming services.

There could be a light at the end of the tunnel, though, as a new report from The New York Times suggests that ESPN and ABC may be close to returning to YouTube TV. However, the report indicates that the rest of Disney's channels could remain unavailable on the Google-owned service. There's no dispute that YouTube TV wants those two major channels, but the rest seem less desirable.

For most people, ABC and ESPN are the main channels they're probably watching and missing. If those two come back, it would make a large portion of subscribers happy, though it might not make Disney feel good, as its pricing model for cable providers has traditionally been to bundle all of the ESPN channels, ABC affiliates, Disney Channel, FX and Freeform. This is one of Google's (and other carriers, according to reports) main gripes with Disney.

Disney may be willing to hold out longer

At the same time, Disney chief financial officer Hugh Johnston went on CNBC and said, "We’re in the middle of negotiations right now. Things are live. They’re happening. Obviously, as we entered the year, we knew this was going to be a challenging battle, and we prepared ourselves for it, and we’re ready to go as long as they want to."

While some progress may have been made on at least the two major channels, it also appears that Disney is willing to hold out until it secures the deal it wants on all of its channels.

Disney thinks its deal is good, as reported by Deadline. According to CEO Bob Iger, "The offer that’s on the table is commensurate with deals that we’ve already struck with, actually, distributors that are larger than they are. We’re trying really hard, working tirelessly to close this deal, and we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to do so on a timely enough basis to at least give consumers the opportunity to access our content over their platform."

As it stands, nothing is official regarding forward movement. The NYT is reporting based on sources it has spoken with, but officially, Disney sounds like it's willing to go the long haul with this fight, which has already raged on for around two weeks.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

• Ditching YouTube TV? Here’s how it compares vs Hulu with Live TV, Fubo and Sling
• 3 ways you can stream ESPN and ABC for free right now
• There have been 79 new Netflix shows in 2025 so far — here’s the 7 worth watching

More from Tom's Guide