The answer is a predictably unsatisfying mix of "maybe a smidgen," "probably less than you think" and "it's complicated."

Disney has had blackout disruptions on major providers in each of last two years, having an 11-day dispute with Charter in 2023 and a 13-day battle with DirecTV in 2024. There are a few other live TV streaming services offering great deals and channels that YouTube TV customers no longer have access to.

As ESPN and YouTube continue to bicker like an old wives' supper club over the return of ESPN/Disney's bundle of channels back to YouTube TV, there's at least o

DirecTV and Fubo offer 5-day free trials with access to shows like "Dancing with the Stars" and live sports, while Sling provides budget-friendly customization.

One of the biggest stories in the sports industry over the past week has been the contract standoff between ESPN and YouTube TV. Since Oct. 31, none of Disney’s catalog of channels has been available on YouTube TV, as the previous deal between Disney, ESPN’s owner, and Google, YouTube TV’s owner, ended the day prior.

While ESPN and YouTube TV remain at odds following the network's removal of its content from the latter’s platform, significant changes are afoot. The Worldwide Leader in Sports has taken a kinder view on betting in recent years and, as such, agreed to a 10-year, $2 billion-deal with PENN Entertainment in August 2023.

Disney claims to have offered YouTube TV a deal that “would cost less overall than the terms of our recently expired license,” with programming packages “that would provide tremendous flexibility for YouTube TV and greater choice and value for its customers.