The DirecTV and Disney Feud: What Happened and How It Ended

Over Labor Day weekend, DirecTV’s 11 million subscribers were left in the dark without access to ESPN, the ABC-owned stations, and other Disney-owned channels. This sudden blackout left millions of viewers across the U.S. without their favorite programming.

However, the good news is that a deal has been reached between DirecTV and Walt Disney Co. to restore these channels to DirecTV’s service after a nearly two-week dispute. This means that sports fans can once again enjoy ESPN’s college football games and watch ABC’s telecast of the Emmy Awards.

The blackout affected several markets where ABC is owned by Disney, including locations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Chicago, and more. DirecTV subscribers lost access to ESPN, ABC, as well as other Disney-owned channels like FX and National Geographic during the feud over carriage fees and programming flexibility.

Financial terms of the new deal were not disclosed, but DirecTV’s payments to Disney will be based on market-based pricing. Additionally, DirecTV will now have the option to offer Disney’s video streaming services a la carte and include ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service in its packages.

The resolution came after DirecTV filed a complaint with the FCC accusing Disney of negotiating in bad faith. This isn’t the first time Disney has clashed with a pay-TV provider, as last year Disney channels were pulled from Spectrum for 12 days before a settlement was reached.

With the DirecTV and Disney feud now behind us, viewers can once again enjoy their favorite sports, shows, and events without interruption.