Report: NFL makes surprising decision on Monday Night Football amid YouTube TV, ESPN dispute

by: Nick Schultz 23 hours ago NickSchultz_7

As the YouTube TV-Disney dispute continues, the NFL is allowing ESPN to bring Monday Night Football to more viewers. The league is letting ESPN simulcast MNF on ABC in Week 10 and Week 11, Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy reported.

ABC and ESPN have both been blacked out on YouTube TV for more than a week after Disney’s carriage deal with YouTube TV expired. The two sides continue to negotiate, and the dispute has cost YouTube TV’s roughly 10 million subscribers two weeks of college football action.

But by simulcasting Monday Night Football to ABC, subscribers have another way to watch. They can buy an antenna and watch this week’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers over the air if they cannot watch on YouTube TV.

When ESPN and the other Disney channels went dark, the service said subscribers would receive a credit if the blackout went on for an “extended period” of time. YouTube TV said Saturday if would offer a $20 credit if a deal doesn’t come together with Disney by Sunday,  The Athletic’s  Andrew Marchand reported. Both sides are negotiating Saturday, hoping to find a resolution to the more than week-long blackout.

The carriage deal between Disney and YouTube TV expired Oct. 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. However, the networks went dark at approx. 11:27 p.m. ET that night – prior to the deal’s expiration. The blackout then continued through Week 10 of the college football season, as well as Monday Night Football between the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys.

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