For the second consecutive week, College GameDay will stream live and for free on the ESPN app and X (formerly Twitter) as The Walt Disney Company continues its carriage dispute with YouTube TV.
Pat McAfee confirmed the move on Friday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show. Telling viewers that ESPN is again making the popular Saturday morning pregame show available to fans affected by the ongoing blackout.
“If you obviously are in the middle of this dispute that is taking place between ESPN and YouTube TV. If you have the X account at all, GameDay will be live on there for the second week in a row,” McAfee said.
The dispute between Disney and YouTube TV has left subscribers without access to ESPN and its affiliated networks for more than a week. Forcing the company to explore alternative distribution options for College GameDay. The decision to stream College GameDay on X marks a unique workaround that allows fans to stay connected to one of ESPN’s signature college football properties through the social media platform.
McAfee, who joined GameDay as a full-time analyst in 2022, said the partnership benefits not only fans but also X itself. As it continues to grow its footprint in live video content.
“This is kind of a trailblazer thing for X,” McAfee said. “Obviously, they’ve made deals. They’re getting in the content game with the NFL. They got deals with the WWE. They’re starting to try to get into the content game in a bigger way. They’re starting to be a hosting platform and trying their best. Remember, Elon Musk’s vision of X is a place for everything — not just words. We want pictures. We want to be in content creator world and want to do business.”
McAfee added that X’s ambitions align with Musk’s vision of transforming the platform into a “one-stop shop” for digital entertainment and commerce. He believes this partnership demonstrates that progress.
The current impasse between the two companies, which began on Oct. 31, has resulted in lost access for YouTube TV’s subscribers to ABC and ESPN’s slate of college football games. Plus one of the network’s crown jewels — last week’s “Monday Night Football” game. According to several reports, the two sides remain “far apart” from any incoming agreement or settlement.
This weekend’s ESPN college football schedule includes a Top 10 matchup between BYU and Texas Tech in the mid-afternoon. Along with a classic rivalry game between LSU and Alabama in primetime. Monday night’s NFL game is arguably the best matchup Monday Night Football has had all season. With the Philadelphia Eagles in Green Bay to play the Packers.
The Athletic obtained a letter sent to Disney employees on Friday laying out the company’s perspective on the network’s standoff with YouTube TV.
“Rather than compete on a level playing field, Google’s YouTube TV has approached these negotiations as if it were the only player in the game,” the memo that was obtained by The Athletic read. It was signed by three high-ranking Disney executives, Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
While praising the innovation for tomorrow’s broadcast of College GameDay. McAfee credited ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro for helping to ensure College GameDay remains accessible to fans during the dispute.
“Jimmy Pitaro needs a lot of credit for this. He loves College GameDay and what it brings to people,” McAfee said. “He understands that people can be upset about everything that’s going on business-wise. So Jimmy Pitaro [is] zigging and zagging to try to get College GameDay to fans and college football fans as much as they possibly can.”
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