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Pat McAfee calls on Disney to 'put our swords down' in YouTube TV dispute

Pat McAfee is urging two of the most powerful companies in media to do what's in the best interest of college football and sports fans in general.

The ESPN host addressed the ongoing carriage dispute between Disney and YouTube TV during Tuesday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show, which is simulcast on both ESPN and YouTube. The conflict has left millions of YouTube TV subscribers without access to ESPN, ABC and other Disney networks for nearly a week as negotiations over carriage fees stall.

“We’re all done with it,” McAfee said on air. “And if you’re on TV, stop telling people to go to a website to save a multi-billion-dollar deal. Nobody cares what you have to say." He went on to say, "Let’s put our swords down for the good of sports.”

McAfee’s frustration comes as fans brace for another weekend of college football without access to ESPN or ABC broadcasts. Disney and YouTube remain at odds over how Disney’s streaming content (Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+) would be bundled within YouTube TV.

More: SEC on ABC viewership reportedly down 32.5 percent amid YouTube dispute

The blackout has already impacted midweek MAC matchups and could affect several major Week 11 games, including Georgia-Mississippi State, Texas A&M-Missouri, LSU-Alabama and Texas Tech-BYU.

YouTube TV said it wants Disney channels restored immediately while negotiations continue. Until then, McAfee’s message was clear that college football fans deserve better than corporate gridlock.