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Measurement

YouTube Holds TV Crown, But Disney's Sports Surge Narrows the Lead

By SOS. News Desk | Feb 26, 2026

For the 11th straight month, YouTube topped TV viewership with a 12.5% share in January, but a massive surge from Disney, powered by live sports, slashed the tech giant's lead to just 0.6 percentage points, according to the latest Nielsen Media Distributor Gauge.

  • The ESPN effect: Disney’s gain to nearly a 12% share came almost entirely from ESPN, which saw an 82% explosion in monthly viewership from the College Football Playoffs. Viewership on its ABC affiliates also climbed 10%, driven by NFL games and seasonal specials.

  • The legacy shuffle: Elsewhere in streaming, Netflix held its ground firmly in third place with just under 9% of TV viewing, while its hit series 'Stranger Things' remained the most-watched streaming program. The performance among other legacy media companies was a mixed bag, with NBCU-Versant and Fox seeing modest gains while Warner Bros. Discovery’s share fell year-over-year.

The results show that despite streaming's fragmentation, marquee live sporting events remain one of the most powerful tools legacy media can wield in the battle for audience against tech platforms.

Credit: Outlever

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube remains the top TV platform with a 12.5% viewership share in January, but Disney is closing the gap with a lead of just 0.6 percentage points.
  • Disney's viewership surge is driven by an 82% increase in ESPN's audience from the College Football Playoffs, highlighting the power of live sports.
  • Netflix maintains its third-place position with nearly 9% of TV viewing, while other legacy media companies like NBCU-Versant and Fox see mixed results.