New York: Disney channels including ESPN and ABC are returning to YouTube TV after the two companies reached a new agreement that ends more than two weeks of disruption to millions of viewers.

The blackout began on October 30 when Disney and YouTube TV failed to agree on the fees the platform should pay to carry Disney owned networks. The dispute left viewers without access to major sports events and popular shows across ESPN FX Freeform and National Geographic.

Under the new deal YouTube TV subscribers will not only regain access to all Disney channels but will also receive ESPN’s upcoming direct to consumer streaming service at no extra cost by the end of 2026. Financial terms were not made public though industry estimates suggest that Disney had sought higher per subscriber fees during negotiations.

Analysts say the blackout was a costly one for Disney with estimates showing losses of around 30 million dollars per week during the interruption as sports events continued without the network’s distribution on one of the largest streaming platforms.

Both companies said they were pleased to resolve the dispute and thanked customers for their patience. The agreement highlights the growing tension between rising content costs and the pressure on streaming platforms to keep subscription prices stable.

With the deal settled YouTube TV users can again watch live sports ABC programming and Disney’s other networks as normal.