Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk weighed in on the Disney vs YouTube TV showdown and the NBA is undoubtedly part of the fallout.
Disney has the celebrity power to get its messaging out there, as Florio wrote. Via Matt Yoder of AwfulAnnouncing.com, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Mike Greenberg, and Scott Van Pelt have all delivered a similar plea. Fans are being directed to KeepMyNetworks.com and told they could lose access to live sports.
The site even helps people complain directly to YouTube. And yes, it also conveniently shows other providers.
That is clearly by design.
Per YouTube TV, the service is refusing to agree to terms that would “disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products.”
So for now, ESPN and ABC have been removed from the platform. YouTube TV said fans will get a $20 credit if the blackout lasts.
The timing is terrible for the NBA. ESPN is one of the league’s primary national partners. ABC carries marquee weekend games. And this new media rights cycle just launched.
This is also happening as the YouTube TV and FanDuel Sports regional blackout continues to keep millions from watching their local NBA broadcasts.
Fans are stuck again. Disney says it is YouTube. YouTube says it is Disney.
Everyone pays the price.
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Saved 45 a month by adding prime and peacock over keeping ESPN.. and get twice as many NBA games for it..
And it felt good because on those networks, unlike ESPN, don’t also go out of their way to hate the game and players that they cover.. they actually like the game itself. Imagine that.
Disney is the problem.. Most everyone agrees.