On October 30, millions of viewers sat down expecting to watch their usual programming on YouTube TV and instead got a negotiation standoff.
Disney-owned networks, including ESPN and ABC, went dark on YouTube TV after the two companies failed to reach a new carriage agreement, pulling core sports, broadcast, and scripted content from one of the largest live TV streaming services in the country.
We ran a quick-turn survey of over 1,100 people to understand how people are navigating this blackout in real life.
First, some context on where YouTube TV fits in an already crowded streaming universe.
Among respondents, traditional and streaming live TV options coexist with on-demand staples:
YouTube TV is not alone, but it occupies a critical lane: live sports, broadcast networks, and a cable-like experience without the cable contract. That positioning is exactly what makes this blackout so disruptive.
Among YouTube TV subscribers in our survey, the reasons they were or are subscribers show how high the stakes are for this dispute:
Price and experience matter too:
At its core, YouTube TV was the home base for live sports, ABC, and a strong channel lineup in one place. With ESPN, ABC, and other Disney-owned networks pulled from the platform, the product most people signed up for no longer exists in its original form.
This is not a quiet, behind-the-scenes contract fight. 54% of respondents say they are aware of the blackout.
When asked who is most at fault:
People see two powerful companies using customers as leverage. They are not buying a single villain. They are tired of being the bargaining chip.
For YouTube TV subscribers, this is not an empty threat. 82% say they are likely to cancel their YouTube TV subscription because of the blackout.
That is an extraordinary level of churn risk for a service that built its brand on reliability and simplicity. It shows how essential ESPN, ABC, and related Disney-owned networks are to perceived value.
YouTube TV has floated a $20 credit if the blackout stretches on. We tested whether that would be enough to keep subscribers.
When asked if a $20 credit would be enough to prevent them from canceling:
This is the clearest signal in the data: a one-time credit does not match the emotional and practical loss of ESPN and ABC for most subscribers.
They did not sign up for a discount. They signed up for live sports, big games, and a predictable experience.
This blackout is not a minor inconvenience. It is forcing viewers to rethink where their money goes and who they trust with their game days.
When we asked YouTube TV subscribers what they have done or plan to do in response, a clear pattern emerged.
Nearly 1 in 4 (24%) say they have canceled or intend to cancel their subscription because the service no longer delivers the core content they signed up for.
At the same time, viewers are not stepping away from sports. They are following the content.
Three in ten (30%) say they have subscribed or plan to subscribe directly to ESPN or Hulu + Live TV to keep access to the games and networks they care about. I
Others are adjusting how and where they watch.
These shifts still keep fans engaged, but they chip away at the value of a full YouTube TV subscription.
There is also a growing layer of workaround behavior.
The numbers tell a story that goes beyond one blackout. A few takeaways:
1. Loyalty is conditional.
YouTube TV earned trust as a stable home for sports and broadcast. That trust erodes quickly without ESPN and ABC, especially when alternatives are a click away.
2. Blaming the other side is not working.
With 58% blaming both companies, the PR spin from each side is falling flat. Consumers see corporate posturing, not advocacy.
3. Sports fans are high risk, high value, and highly vocal.
They are more likely to churn, more likely to spend, and more likely to shape the narrative online. When 82% say they might leave, carriers and content owners should take that seriously.
4. Stopgap credits are not a strategy.
A $20 credit feels misaligned with the disruption of missing key games and tentpole events. Customers read it as a coupon, not a solution.
5. Workarounds have long-term consequences.
Once viewers get used to highlights, illegal streams, or watching at bars, some will not return to the same bundle. Behavioral shifts that start as temporary can become permanent.
The findings in this article are based on a quick-turn online survey conducted by Drive Research with 1,107 consumers who use streaming and live TV services. Using a probabilistic framework as a reference, a sample of this size carries a margin of error of approximately +/- 3% at the 95% confidence level.
Drive Research is a market research company that specializes in custom surveys, audience insights, and quick-turn pulse studies that turn breaking news moments into real audience understanding.
Our team designs research that is built for today’s media landscape, from streaming behavior to sports sponsorships, so brands can make confident, data-backed decisions instead of guessing.
If you would like to run a similar study with your audience or fan base, contact Drive Research to get started.
