DirecTV subscribers are missing out on Disney channels as the latest carriage dispute has crash landed. And with college football just having started and Week 1 of the NFL season upon us, that could mean sports fans missing out on some big games on the ESPN family of networks. If the two sides are prepared for a dispute that could extend for days or weeks, the biggest winner won’t be Disney or DirecTV – it just might be YouTube TV.
While that seems like a bold proclamation to make, the numbers are already starting to tell the story that the streaming service may be about to pick up a flood of new subs who are finally ready to leave the days of the satellite dish behind. Not only has YouTube TV been trending on social media, it’s seeing its search numbers go through the roof to levels not seen since the Super Bowl.
YouTube TV searches neared a year-to-date high after ESPN went dark on DirecTV. The only higher spike? Super Bowl Sunday.
Google’s TV service has become a football-watching platform. pic.twitter.com/IkDKmpNJv2
— ✏️Jacob Feldman (@JacobFeldman4) September 3, 2024
For sports fans specifically, YouTube TV tends to be a very popular destination. Not only is the platform the exclusive home to NFL Sunday Ticket, but it also presents a wide variety of league networks as well as functionality like multiview that is very fan friendly.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, whose ESPN owned SEC Network is affected by the DirecTV dispute, even took the opportunity to give his complete and total endorsement to YouTube TV after the Disney channels went dark on the satellite service. And so did ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit.
This is why I have @YouTubeTV… https://t.co/EnWcMsqrxP
— Greg Sankey (@GregSankey) September 2, 2024
Knew @YouTubeTV would pay off. Good call to my 4 boys. #CloseCall #Onward
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) September 2, 2024
Lest you think this is just anecdotal, there have been scores of people taking to social media saying they’ve already made the switch from DirecTV from YouTube TV with this Disney fight being the final straw. The timing of the Disney channels going dark on Sunday – in the middle of the US Open and right before the USC-LSU game on Disney owned affiliates in major markets – certainly hasn’t helped in the good vibes department either.
Hey @DIRECTV we pay you well north of $200 a month and you cut out the US Open and Phillies on ESPN. Well guess what. We just started our free trial to YouTube TV and am cancelling you on Tuesday. Been toying with the idea for a while. Decision has now been made.
— Nate Kucsma (@NKucsma_ASI) September 2, 2024
Not sure who is to blame more in the @Disney / @espn vs @DIRECTV feud (I’m guessing the former) but downloaded @YouTubeTV for a trial & like what I see. Price point better for what channels you get. Been Direct customer since 2001…it might just be time to say goodbye. #DirecTV
— Eric Russell (@ericr328) September 4, 2024
Completely done with @DIRECTV as tomorrow morning. The ESPN blackout did it. Moved to YouTube TV.
— Julie Fegter 🏳️🌈 (@JFegter1) September 3, 2024
Canceling in the morning. YouTube TV will be less expensive.
— Lynn Webster (@LynnWeb82156309) September 1, 2024
Of course, YouTube TV is not immune to carriage disputes of their own. Last February they dropped MLB Network, for instance. However, the monthly cycle is certainly more flexible than the permanence of a satellite dish. And if there’s a more advantageous streamer for fans of a particular setup with a better network lineup for them, it’s not difficult to make the switch to find.
DirecTV is talking a big game in terms of being in this for the long haul in standing up to Disney and ESPN, but it’s a PR battle that they appear to be on the losing end of at the moment while these networks are airing on pretty much every other platform that’s available. Truth be told, DirecTV probably feels like they’ve lost enough subscribers to YouTube seeing Sunday Ticket move to the streamer last year. Unfortunately for them, last year’s wave may have been only the beginning.
