Cardinals–Cowboys Broadcast Still at Risk on YouTube TV as Disney Feud Continues

Frustration builds as Disney and YouTube TV’s standoff threatens to block Monday Night Football for millions hoping to watch the Cardinals–Cowboys clash.

Oct 5, 2020; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; The Monday Night Football logo on a television camera prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The battle between Disney (which owns ESPN/ABC) and YouTube TV (owned by Google) has surprisingly bled into the dying moments ahead of this week's iteration of Monday Night Football, leaving millions across the country scrambling for alternative ways to watch the Dallas Cowboys host the Arizona Cardinals.

The feud started previously a few days ago when Disney saw its channels removed from the popular streaming service after negotiations on a new deal broke down.

This weekend, subscribers to YouTube TV weren't able to watch any college football or NBA games that were shown on either ESPN or ABC.

Ahead of football's biggest stage on Monday night, the two sides continue to blame each other while leaving plenty of fans helpless.

How to Watch Cardinals vs Cowboys

There's a few different ways to catch action, and it's important to note that this blackout only impacts YouTube TV - not other streaming services with Disney rights/packages.

That means places such as Hulu or Fubo (which is offering a seven-day free trial) are still in the clear.

The same goes for regular cable viewers and those that have ESPN Ultimate, as well.

If you have NFL+, you should be able to catch the game on mobile devices - though that's clearly not as sufficient as having it up on the big screen.

Also, fans online have purchased TV antennas that will catch local stations, which does include ABC.

This Feud is, Quite Frankly, Ridiculous

Both sides have received backlash for what's transpired over the last few days, as the real losers of this ordeal have been the consumers.

On their X account, YouTube TV offered the following statement:

"Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to reach a fair deal, and starting today, Disney programming will not be available on YouTube TV. This means you will no longer be able to watch channels like ABC and ESPN or access recordings from these networks in your Library.

"We know how disruptive it is to lose channels you enjoy, and we’re committed to continuing to work with Disney to reach an agreement. If their content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we'll offer our members a $20 credit. For updates, visit http://yt.be/disney."

Meanwhile, Disney/ESPN have had prominent faces plug in the following messages online:

Any YouTube TV customers can go to https://t.co/NVtFdhogzG to find options to watch NFL Live, Monday Night Countdown and Monday Night Football on ESPN and ABC tonight. pic.twitter.com/eH5OkAvYS0

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 3, 2025

YouTube TV customers: go to https://t.co/thEUtGNysz now to get ESPN back so you can watch College GameDay and all of this weekend's CFB matchups on ESPN and ABC. pic.twitter.com/hsRUFmMgfT

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 1, 2025

This is without a doubt ridiculous to try and pin people against one side or the other - as both companies could have easily agreed to lift the blackout so football fans could at least enjoy a primetime game.

The best part? Disney reportedly urged YouTube TV to restore ABC for Election Day coverage. YouTube TV declined, and according to Awful Announcing, Disney is losing $5 million per day as a result of the blackout.

As Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer put it, this whole ordeal is egregious:

"This isn’t, and shouldn’t be, your fight. It’s their fight, and shame on them for using America’s obsession with the great sport of football as leverage in it," Breer wrote in his recent mailbag.

"The leagues, the NFL included, aren’t blameless here, either. As they’ve held their partners at gunpoint, knowing that sports are the only thing people watch live anymore, they’ve made it harder and harder for networks to profit off what they’re paying for it. So then the networks get into disagreements with the providers, who also need the games to make money and make the numbers work.

"... It’s both coming to the end of a contract and deciding that using that circumstance—one where viewers would have the games effectively blacked out—for their own interest was more important than doing the right thing for their customers."

Enough said.