Are you a YouTube TV subscriber looking for ESPN and ABC? Here are your options

Oct 31, 2025 - 21:00

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If you're a YouTube TV subscriber, you may have noticed that ABC, ESPN and other Disney-owned channels have gone dark on the platform today. The Walt Disney Co. has pulled its channels from YouTube TV as of midnight on Oct. 30 after the two companies failed to reach new terms on their latest carriage agreement.

That means that until that negotiation is resolved, you won't be able to watch any programming from those stations. That includes all upcoming college football and NFL games broadcast on ESPN's suite of channels —including Monday Night Football — as well as all ABC programming like Abbott Elementary, Grey's Anatomy and Dancing with the Stars.

YouTube TV has stated that if Disney’s channels remain off the platform for an extended period, customers will receive a $20 monthly credit. That's all fine and good, but if you're looking to watch one of those upcoming games, you're likely looking for a solution as soon as Friday night. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to get those channels back. If you want a permanent switch from YouTube TV, there's Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, or Fubo, where you can watch all of those channels. If you're looking for a workaround for this weekend (or for the long term) to watch ESPN, the Disney Channel, ABC and more, here's are the best options so you won't miss a moment of sports, news, or entertainment, all pulled from our list of best live TV streaming services to cut cable.

Grab an ESPN bundle so you won't miss a single game this weekend

Get Hulu + Live TV at a great price

Try Fubo free for a week and get $30 your first month

Try DirecTV free for 5 days, and get $30 off your first month

What about Sling "day passes"?

You may have heard that Sling offers day, weekend and week passes to its streaming programming for as little as $5 per day. That is an option if you're looking for just some of the ESPN channels (the Sling Orange tier), but ABC isn't included. You can get both with Sling's Orange and Blue package ($30 a month to start, $61 thereafter), but you'll need to add on the Sports Extra package for ESPNU, which requires an additional charge.

Get your local Disney/ABC programming for free

Need your local ABC programming? Your station may have its own free local streaming news channel (many do), you can see if The Roku Channel carries your local station's news, or download your local news station app if it's a Nexstar channel.

The other alternative — if you're within the broadcast radius of a local ABC affiliate — is to get an over-the-air antenna. You can plug in your ZIP code at antennaweb.org to see what channels are in your area. This off-brand unit has worked very well in our initial testing — it's under $30, and the channels are truly free.

What games are on ESPN/ABC this weekend?

If you're wondering what games you might miss as a result of the YouTubeTV/Disney blackout, here's a list of NCAAF games that will be broadcast this weekend on ABC or on one of ESPN's many channels, and don't forget about Monday Night Football on ESPN/ABC, too.

Friday, Oct. 31

Saturday, Nov. 1