**YouTube TV-ESPN Dispute Drags On: Bob Iger Dodges Hot Topic on ManningCast**
Two weeks into the lingering YouTube TV-ESPN dispute, Bob Iger finally gave antsy subscribers the answer they’ve been waiting for: he’s impartial to the tush push.
The Disney CEO joined the ESPN2 “ManningCast” during the first half of the Philadelphia Eagles’ “Monday Night Football” win over the Green Bay Packers. Strikingly, he was not explicitly asked to comment on the ongoing streaming stalemate between Disney and Google’s YouTube TV.
ESPN, ABC, and other Disney-owned channels were removed from YouTube TV—the fourth-largest TV distributor in the U.S.—about two weeks ago amid an ugly carriage dispute. The fallout thwarted millions of viewers from watching marquee NFL and college matchups.
Football fans were outraged by the segment, which lasted less than 10 minutes and mostly centered on Iger’s lifelong support of the Packers. Many lambasted the Disney CEO, along with Peyton and Eli Manning, for dancing around the multi-million-dollar elephant in the room.
> “The first topic with Bob Iger during the Peyton and Eli Eagles vs Packers Monday Night Football broadcast should be about the ESPN/YouTube TV deal,” one fan wrote on X. “Love the ManningCast but this is pathetic!”
Another added:
> “If Bob Iger speaks on [ESPN] #MondayNightFootball during the #ManningCast, but 10,000,000 [YouTube TV] users didn’t get to see it, did he really appear? Also, who cares to hear what he has to say? I love the ManningCast, but this is the most irrelevant guest nobody watching cares to hear from.”
Eli Manning did attempt to broach the topic with a question about watching sports on TV, though it was too ambiguous to elicit a real answer.
“How are we doing?” Eli asked simply.
Iger didn’t bite:
“Considering the fact that you’re sitting on couches and watching football, you’re doing alright.”
### What’s at Stake in the Dispute?
YouTube contests that Disney is charging far too high a price in its licensing agreement, claiming the company “used the threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers.”
If Disney continues the blackout for an extended period of time, or if the parties cannot come to terms on a new deal—their previous agreement expired on Oct. 31—YouTube TV has announced it will offer subscribers a $20 credit.
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## How to Watch ESPN and ABC for Free Without YouTube TV
If you’re a YouTube TV customer missing out on ESPN, ABC, and other Disney-owned channels, there are still plenty of options to catch live sports and your favorite shows.
**DIRECTV**
DIRECTV is offering a free 5-day trial that covers all the affected channels. Plans start at just $49.99/month for your first month. You’ll get access to NFL, NBA, NHL, and college football across ESPN, ABC, and more, plus regional sports networks in most markets—all for one price.
Stay tuned as the dispute between YouTube TV and Disney continues to unfold, affecting millions of streaming sports fans nationwide.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/11/sports/disney-ceo-bob-iger-not-asked-about-youtube-tv-espn-dispute-on-mnf/
