Disney is losing over $4.3 million dollars a day after pulling their channels from YouTube TV on October 30. The decision is costing Disney $30 million a week!
You know you generate too much revenue when you’re willing to sacrifice $4 million A DAY!
Disney’s Blackout Gamble Isn’t Paying Off
Disney probably thought this would go their way. That angry sports fans would ditch YouTube TV and sign up for ESPN Unlimited, which live streams all of ESPN-affiliated channels. In fact, Disney is currently selling their Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited bundle for $29.99 a month for a year until January 5, 2026.
Instead people are so pissed they’re looking for ways to watch the shows or games they want for free. Piracy is back in style. With the way these companies are acting that’s not going to change anytime too
Disney isn’t the only loser in this blackout. Out of 1,100 US consumers, 24% have either canceled or plan to cancel their YouTube TV subscriptions. Google’s trying to soften the blow with a $20 credit for affected users, but that could cost them up to $200 million.
Everyone’s Losing
This is a lose-lose situation. Disney’s bleeding millions a week, while Google’s hemorrhaging customers. Meanwhile, the viewers who want an affordable way to watch live TV are caught in the crossfire.
It’s going to get to a point where disputes like Google vs Disney will have a negative effect on these companies. Every time a channel is removed, more people realize they don’t need these platforms as much as they thought.
Streaming is Becoming Less Stable
Streaming TV has turned into a chaotic, overpriced mess. We went from paying for cable channels people didn’t want to juggling a dozen streaming bundles people can’t afford.
If this blackout drags on, both Disney and Google will lose credibility. In the end, they’ll reach an agreement anyway. The full details won’t be made public, but it’ll probably be something they could have agreed on before Oct 30. Which means all of the frustration and pain they’ve inflicted on consumers could have been avoided. Why does that sound so familiar? Because it’s the same cycle every time: greed first, viewers last.
