Copyright Newsweek
On Friday, Nov. 7 three high-ranking Disney executives, Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, issued a memo to employees regarding its standoff with YouTube TV. “Rather than compete on a level playing field, Google’s YouTube TV has approached these negotiations as if it were the only player in the game,” the memo, obtained by The Athletic's Andrew Marchand and Dan Shanoff, read. “It goes without saying that the reason so many consumers value our programming above others is because we invest in the best talent, creators and content in the world, and we cannot allow anyone to undercut our ability to do so.” The memo comes after YouTube TV announced on Oct. 30 its plans to remove Disney's ABC and ESPN from its platform after the two sides failed to agree to a new carriage rights deal. More Sports Media: ESPN Suffers Triple Loss Amid YouTube TV Standoff More NFL: ESPN Facing Backlash Over Strong Message for YouTube TV Customers Over the past week YouTube TV customers have missed high-profile college football games and a Monday Night Football game between the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. Those with YouTube TV hoping for access to ABC and ESPN this weekend didn't receive good news in the memo, which hinted that the impasse isn't close to a resolution. “We realize this has been a challenging week, with everyone asking the same question as millions of YouTube TV subscribers during the busiest time of the year in sports: When will ESPN and ABC be back on the service?” the memo read. “We wish we could give you that answer today, but unfortunately, we are headed into another sports-packed weekend without a deal in place.” YouTube TV promised a $20 credit if Disney's content is unavailable for an extended period of time."
