This claim is true. Since October 30th, YouTube TV has been in a dispute with Disney costing millions of subscribers to be without coverage of ESPN, ABC, and other Disney owned channels. According to Syracuse.com, "At the heart of this blackout is a contractual disagreement between Google-owned YouTube TV and Disney. YouTube TV claims that Disney is asking for terms that would increase costs for subscribers, while Disney argues that YouTube TV is not valuing its content fairly". It is unclear how long this dispute will last but what is known is the uproar from people voicing their concerns online.
A main part of the uproar that is upsetting millions of subscribers is the blackout of ESPN/ABC. ESPN airs some of the most important sporting events such as Monday Night Football, college football, basketball, and so much more. ESPN knows how many of their viewers come from YouTube TV which is why they posted an article showcasing the other outlets that you can find ESPN coverage on. The article states, "If you don't have cable access to ESPN right now, you can get instant access to ESPN content through a variety of services including Cox, Dish, DirecTV, Fios, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Mediacom, Optimum, Sling, Spectrum TV and Xfinity". This dispute comes at a great disadvantage for millions of subscribers. As they look for different ways to continue to watch their favorite channels it can be very costly.
YouTube TV's response has been to offer $20 rebate. The Columbus Dispatch reported on the controversy that has arisen from the rebate, "For many subscribers, $20 is only a fraction of the typical base subscription fee—about $82.99 a month—and doesn’t fully compensate for the loss of major networks during key sporting events". This dispute has put many in unfortunate situations with no end it sight. I tried reaching out to YouTube TV for a comment of the dispute but received no response back.
