Nobody is happy about the ongoing carriage dispute between Disney and YouTube TV. But that was especially the case on Saturday as YouTube TV’s 10 million subscribers, many of which are college football fans, missed games involving 13 ranked teams across ESPN’s family of networks.
There are, of course, other platforms which fans can purchase access to ESPN, including the network’s new direct-to-consumer app which runs about $30 per month. But for a YouTube TV subscriber that is otherwise happy with the product, why would they want to switch platforms or add an additional subscription just because two mega corporations are fighting? Especially when these disputes typically have a way of sorting themselves out without extended disruption.
Most reasonable people who subscriber to YouTube TV aren’t going to shell out an additional $30 (or more for an alternative pay TV provider) just to ensure they can watch one weekend of college football games.
That logic was apparently lost on SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. On Saturday, Sankey, in an incredibly out of touch social media post, promoted that he had simply upgraded his Disney streaming bundle to include ESPN’s direct-to-consumer offering.
Problem solved. Plenty of options in this environment (saved a bit while making the change). pic.twitter.com/y7d51aBfUQ
— Greg Sankey (@GregSankey) November 1, 2025
“Problem solved. Plenty of options in this environment (saved a bit while making the change),” Sankey wrote.
The commissioner is right in that there are “plenty of option” nowadays. But has he considered that customers don’t want to pay for another streaming service just because the one they’re already paying for isn’t delivering the product that was advertised?
The tone deafness doesn’t stop there, though. Many were quick to point out that just over one year ago, Sankey made a similar comment on social media, but that time endorsed YouTube TV while DirecTV was in a carriage dispute with Disney.
How it started vs. how it’s going 😅 pic.twitter.com/0J8Pm81RID
— Sports TV News & Updates (@TVSportsUpdates) November 1, 2025
There’s also, of course, some deep irony at play here. Disney owns the entirety of the SEC’s media rights through 2034. Disney also stands to benefit from an extended blackout on YouTube TV if customers decide to do what Sankey did and switch to any number of Disney-owned services that provide ESPN, including ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer app, Hulu + Live TV, or Fubo.
Earth to Greg Sankey: no one was complaining that there was “no way” to get ABC or ESPN for Saturday’s games. They were complaining that they shouldn’t have to purchase a new product, when the one they already bought should have the games.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.