After more than ten days of negotiations hitting a wall, the blackout between YouTube TV and Disney is still dragging on – and viewers are growing impatient. Channels owned by Disney, including ESPN, ABC, and National Geographic, have gone dark on Google’s streaming platform. To ease the frustration, YouTube TV is now offering subscribers a $20 credit as a goodwill gesture while both companies work toward a new deal.
According to an update shared with subscribers, YouTube TV will email instructions on how to claim the one-time $20 credit, which will automatically apply to the next billing cycle. The rollout began on November 9, and all paying users are expected to receive the offer by November 12.
Last week, some customers had reported receiving a different kind of consolation – a six-month $10 monthly discount that lowered the base plan from $82.99 to $72.99. That deal, however, required subscribers to opt in manually and wasn’t offered to everyone. The new $20 credit appears to be a more universal effort to keep customers from canceling amid the blackout.
The move comes as YouTube TV and Disney continue to wrestle over carriage terms. Both sides have acknowledged ongoing talks but haven’t announced progress toward restoring the missing networks. While there were hints of a limited channel return, including ABC and ESPN, no agreement has materialized so far.
For subscribers, that means popular live programming such as Monday Night Football and regional sports remain unavailable. YouTube TV says that if a deal is finalized, the affected channels could return within hours. Until then, users can check their registered email for the official redemption link for the $20 credit.
The longer the standoff continues, the more pressure builds on YouTube TV’s subscriber base. Prolonged outages often drive customers to competitors like Hulu + Live TV or Fubo, both of which still carry Disney’s full lineup. While Google’s token credit is a small olive branch, the true fix lies in restoring access to the entertainment, sports, and news content subscribers originally signed up for.
