ESPN digs in on standoff with YouTube TV with leaked memo to employees

The dispute between ESPN and YouTube TV over distribution rights is showing no signs of easing. According to On3’s Nick Schultz, three of Disney’s top executives circulated an internal memo Friday outlining the company’s position, and signaling continued frustration with Google’s streaming service.

The memo, obtained by Schultz, was signed by Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. It accused YouTube TV of negotiating unfairly, saying the platform is acting as though it “were the only player in the game.”

“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 goes without saying that the reason so many consumers value our programming above others is because we invest in the best talent, creators and content in the world, and we cannot allow anyone to undercut our ability to do so.”

The timing of the memo comes as millions of viewers remain without ESPN, ABC and other Disney-owned channels amid a blackout that has stretched into a second weekend. With YouTube TV subscribers unable to watch College GameDay, college football or Monday Night Football, the tension between the two media giants continues to escalate.

YouTube TV quickly issued a response, pushing back on Disney’s claims and criticizing the company for taking negotiations public: “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,” a YouTube TV spokesperson said.

“Our team stands ready to make a fair agreement in line with their deals with other distributors. We encourage Disney to come to the table and do what’s best for our mutual customers.”

With no deal in place, sports fans are unfortunately stuck in the middle, as ESPN’s college football coverage and Monday night NFL broadcasts remain unavailable on YouTube TV. It seems like this standoff could stretch even longer if negotiations continue to stall.

In the meantime, Pat McAfee revealed Friday that College GameDay will be live-streamed in full on his X (formerly Twitter) account Saturday morning. The decision offers a welcome reprieve for college football fans.

They’ll still be able to watch College GameDay live. The cruel irony is that the game broadcast from their site that follows, BYU at Texas Tech, remains unavailable on ABC.