Nearly two weeks after the dispute between Google and Disney removed ESPN, ABC, and related channels from the YouTube TV service, vague hope has surfaced.
Which is better than no hope at all.
Andrew Marchand of TheAthletic.com reports that there is “potential renewed momentum” toward a deal.
Marchand adds that Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Disney CEO Bob Iger “have become more involved” in the talks.
Earlier this week, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr finally chimed in on the topic, tweeting this: “Google and Disney need to get a deal done and end this blackout. People should have the right to watch the programming they paid for — including football. Get it done!”
When Carr dipped a toe more than two months ago into the Google-Fox dispute (with a message targeted only at Google), a deal got done. In this specific case, Disney would be wise to realize that placating the administration could help boost the chances of securing governmental approval of its proposed mega-media deal with the NFL.
But it’s one thing to, for example, push the notion that President Trump wants his name on the new Commanders stadium (without ever disclosing in its reporting the company’s reliance on the president to approve the partial merger with the NFL) or to give him a no-pushback platform on a popular show at a time when, frankly, he’s becoming more and more unpopular. It’s quite another to do less of a deal than Disney wants to do, simply to boost a separate concern.
Regardless, both sides need to get a deal done. With each passing day, it becomes more and more clear that they do not care about the consumers.
I mean, we already knew they didn’t. But there are certain moments where it makes sense to pretend otherwise. This should be one of them.
