{"id":114611,"date":"2025-11-02T21:27:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T21:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/114611\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T21:27:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T21:27:10","slug":"greg-sankey-roasted-for-promoting-disney-bundle-amid-youtube-tv-dispute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/114611\/","title":{"rendered":"Greg Sankey roasted for promoting Disney bundle amid YouTube TV dispute"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nobody is happy about the ongoing carriage dispute<\/a> between Disney and YouTube TV. But that was especially the case on Saturday as YouTube TV\u2019s 10 million subscribers, many of which are college football fans, missed games involving 13 ranked teams across ESPN\u2019s family of networks.<\/p>\n

There are, of course, other platforms which fans can purchase access to ESPN, including the network\u2019s new direct-to-consumer app which runs about $30 per month. But for a YouTube TV subscriber that is otherwise happy with the product, why would they want to switch platforms or add an additional subscription just because two mega corporations are fighting? Especially when these disputes typically have a way of sorting themselves out without extended disruption.<\/p>\n

Most reasonable people who subscriber to YouTube TV aren\u2019t going to shell out an additional $30 (or more for an alternative pay TV provider) just to ensure they can watch one weekend of college football games.<\/p>\n

That logic was apparently lost on SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. On Saturday, Sankey, in an incredibly out of touch social media post<\/a>, promoted that he had simply upgraded his Disney streaming bundle to include ESPN\u2019s direct-to-consumer offering.<\/p>\n

Problem solved. Plenty of options in this environment (saved a bit while making the change). pic.twitter.com\/y7d51aBfUQ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Greg Sankey (@GregSankey) November 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cProblem solved. Plenty of options in this environment (saved a bit while making the change),\u201d Sankey wrote.<\/p>\n

The commissioner is right in that there are \u201cplenty of option\u201d nowadays. But has he considered that customers don\u2019t want to pay for another streaming service just because the one they\u2019re already paying for isn\u2019t delivering the product that was advertised?<\/p>\n

The tone deafness doesn\u2019t stop there, though. Many were quick to point out that just over one year ago, Sankey made a similar comment on social media, but that time\u00a0endorsed YouTube TV while DirecTV was in a carriage dispute with Disney.<\/p>\n

How it started vs. how it\u2019s going \ud83d\ude05 pic.twitter.com\/0J8Pm81RID<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sports TV News & Updates (@TVSportsUpdates) November 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s also, of course, some deep irony at play here. Disney owns the entirety of the SEC\u2019s media rights through 2034. Disney also stands to benefit from an extended blackout on YouTube TV if customers decide to do what Sankey did and switch to any number of Disney-owned services<\/a> that provide ESPN, including ESPN\u2019s new direct-to-consumer app, Hulu + Live TV, or Fubo.<\/p>\n

Earth to Greg Sankey: no one was complaining that there was \u201cno way\u201d to get ABC or ESPN for Saturday\u2019s games. They were complaining that they shouldn\u2019t have to purchase a new product, when the one they already bought should have the games.<\/p>\n

\t