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YouTube TV subscribers win in class action lawsuit against Disney
9to5Google • • business
Key Points:
- YouTube TV subscribers who sued Disney over alleged anticompetitive practices resulting in higher streaming costs have won a $50 million settlement, though it will not reduce their current bills.
- The 2022 class action lawsuit accused Disney of inflating live TV streaming prices by mandating ESPN and other Disney channels be included in base packages, effectively setting a price floor in the market.
- The lawsuit followed significant price hikes for YouTube TV, which rose from $35 to $65 after adding Disney-owned channels, with YouTube TV previously indicating that prices would be lower without Disney content.
- Disney has not admitted wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement and must "consider" offering distributors options to carry fewer channels, though no firm requirement exists.
- The settlement covers subscribers of YouTube TV and related services between April 2019 and March 2026, amid ongoing tensions between YouTube TV and Disney over carriage negotiations.
