Disney CEO Bob Iger Slammed Over YouTube TV Blackout: 'Empty Suit'
Fans are raging at Disney's CEO Bob Iger over the YouTube TV blackout, sharing memes and jokes at his expense on social media. One even called him an "empty suit."
- Since October 30, when "contract talks collapsed," the 10 million subscribers to YouTube TV have been unable to watch ESPN, ABC, and other channels owned by Disney.
- The blackout is occurring during a popular sports season, with "Monday Night Football," college football, and NBA games unavailable to YouTube TV subscribers.
And they're not happy about it, with many unloading on Iger. Fans are accusing Iger of making a series of missteps.
"As of October 30, 2025, our agreement with Disney has expired, and their content is not currently available on YouTube TV," YouTube TV wrote in a note to subscribers.
"Each time we renew our contracts with network partners, we advocate for fair pricing and greater flexibility to offer our subscribers the best possible live TV experience. Our current agreement with Disney has approached its renewal date, and we will not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products."
Bob Iger's High Net Worth Is Fueling Some Fans' Ire
His salary and net worth don't help. In 2019, Forbes reported that Iger earned more than $65 million a year from Disney and his net worth is about $690 million. Iger's wife, Willow Bay, is the dean of a university journalism school.
Noted Forbes: "Iger makes 1,424 times what the median Disney worker does."
Most notably, Iger appeared on ESPN's Manningcast show in the midst of the YouTube TV blackout. And he didn't get asked a single question about it. He was at the Eagles/Packers game as well.
One fan shared a meme on X and wrote, "Seeing Bob Iger on the ManningCast tonight after screwing millions of people out of watching sports."
"There will never be another Walt Disney, but there have been countless empty suits like Bob Iger," wrote another fan.
Fans Shared Memes Trashing Bob Iger as the YouTube Blackout Dragged On
There will never be another Walt Disney, but there have been countless empty suits like Bob Iger. pic.twitter.com/P8WRS658sQ
— Mason McQueen (@ThemeParkManiaX) November 9, 2025
"If Bob Iger speaks on @espn#MondayNightFootball during the #manningcast, but 10,000,000 @YouTubeTV users didn’t get to see it, did he really appear?" raged another fan. "Also, who cares to hear what he has to say?"
"Bob Iger being at the game while fans can't watch because of his company's greed is diabolical tbh," wrote another fan.
"Hey Bob Iger, Nobody cares that you’re at the MNF game. Get to work on getting a deal done with Google / YouTube TV," wrote another person.
"So Disney CEO Bob Iger did an interview DURING Monday Night Football and wasn’t asked by either Manning brother about the YouTube shutdown. Yikes. Disney/ESPN PR is a total dumpster fire. ESPN has Bud Light’d its brand," Outkick founder Clay Travis wrote on X.
"If the Mannings asked Bob Iger about the Disney/YouTube dispute live on air, the Mannings would be podcast bros by Tuesday night," wrote another person on X.
But some people defended the broadcast.
Waiting for Peyton and Eli to ask Bob Iger about YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/pvHESSHzlI
— Chris Howell (@ChrisHHowell) November 11, 2025
"It was a football broadcast, not a 'news' broadcast. I wholeheartedly agree with the Manning brothers' decision to skip the topic. I think most people who watch an NFL game expect to see a football game, not a political rally," wrote one.
YouTube TV noted, "t’s our goal to restore Disney content to YouTube TV, but if we can't reach an agreement and their content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we’ll offer our subscribers a $20 credit. If this happens, you'll receive an email with more information."