Disney and YouTube TV have reached an agreement to end the blackouts

After a two-week hiatus, YouTube TV and Disney announced on Friday that they had reached an agreement.

In addition to returning Disney networks like ABC, ESPN and FX to YouTube’s streaming TV service, the deal will also see ESPN make its new direct-to-consumer service available on YouTube TV at no additional price. YouTube will also be able to sell select Disney networks and the Disney+/Hulu bundle as part of different bundles.

In a statement, Disney Entertainment co-presidents Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, along with ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro, described the deal as one that “recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice.”

“We are thrilled to have our networks back in time so fans can enjoy so many great programming options this weekend, including college football,” Disney executives added.

YouTube also issued a statement on Friday saying subscribers will see the restoration of affected channels “throughout the day.” The company also said: “We apologize for the disruption and appreciate our subscribers’ patience as we negotiate on their behalf.”

YouTube TV is supposed to be an alternative to cable TV for cord cutters, but like most cable TV providers, the service has had its share of disputes with major content providers — usually over how much money to pay them and how much flexibility it has to offer their content in different packages.

The last time YouTube and Disney renegotiated in 2022, there was a similar (albeit much shorter) blackout. This time, YouTube offered customers a $20 credit that they could apply to their next bill.

One survey even indicated that due to Disney’s outage, 24% of the service’s 10 million-plus subscribers said they had already canceled their subscription or planned to do so soon. (A YouTube spokesperson said the actual change “is manageable and is not consistent with the results of this survey.”)

In fact, TechCrunch’s Amanda Silberling said the power outage was ruining her life because she couldn’t watch Jeopardy! Fortunately, her two-week nightmare was over.