Thirteen days after a contract dispute between Disney and DirecTV blocked thousands of viewers from channel feeds, including ABC and ESPN, the companies reached a new deal early Saturday to restore Disney-owned channels to over 10 million DirecTV subscribers.
According to a press release, the companies are working “to finalize a new, multiyear contract” and noted the timing of Saturday’s college football Week 3 action as a motivator to get the new deal done.
Major programs playing on Disney-owned channels Saturday include Oklahoma State, LSU, South Carolina, Florida State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Florida, Texas and Georgia.
.@DIRECTV & @WaltDisneyCo have reached an agreement in principle for distribution of Disney’s linear networks & direct-to-consumer services
All channels have been immediately restored to DIRECTV satellite, streaming, & U-Verse customers
More: https://t.co/2x14omnpx4 pic.twitter.com/5ZlQIKQ6t5
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 14, 2024
“We’d like to thank all affected viewers for their patience and are pleased to restore Disney’s entire portfolio of networks in time for college football and the Emmy Awards this weekend,” the companies jointly said.
The new agreement also allows subscribers to customize their packages according to their interested genres, such as specifically for sports, general entertainment or for younger audiences.
At the time of the blackout, ESPN said in a statement its previous deal with DirecTV undervalues “our portfolio of television channels and programs.” In response, Rob Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV, accused Disney of chasing maximum profits and dominant control at the expense of consumers.
“Through this new agreement, DirecTV and Disney will integrate traditional linear television with direct-to-consumer streaming options to better meet consumer needs and interests,” read Saturday’s statement on the new agreement. “Thanks to new foundational rights from Disney, we will be able to launch more flexible and lower-priced genre-based options for sports, entertainment, kids and family, and more in the new year.”
(Photo: Brandon Sloter / Getty Images)
