September kicks off with a colorful mix of action, starting with the highly anticipated return of the NFL, college football and the best of tennis at the US Open, not to mention the Emmy® Awards and presidential debate on ABC later this month. However, millions of DirecTV customers remain in the dark while ESPN and other Disney-owned channels are blocked due to DirecTV’s decision to reject a fair, market-based agreement with The Walt Disney Company.

“DirecTV has decided to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we move into the final week of the U.S. Open and prepare for college football and the start of the NFL season,” said Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chairmen of Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. “While we are open to offering DirecTV the flexibility and terms we have provided to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues ​​our portfolio of television channels and programs. We invest significantly to deliver the top brands in entertainment, news and sports because that is what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what is in the best interest of their customers and enter into a deal that would immediately restore our programming lineup,” they added.

Disputes between cable companies and content providers are nothing new, but they can cause a lot of confusion. To cut through all the noise, here are some key points to consider:

• The value of the Disney portfolio is undeniable. More than 90% of DirecTV households watched Disney’s linear programming each month last year. That’s more than 5 billion hours watched in a single year.
• Disney invests significantly in its content and strives to offer fair pricing that is comparable to other providers in the market and reflects the value of Disney’s popular and award-winning programs. For example, The Walt Disney Company received 183 Emmy® nominations this year alone, more than any other entertainment company, and ESPN recently extended its relationship with the NBA and WNBA through 2036, as well as with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to continue hosting the US Open through 2037.
• DirecTV continues to claim that they want to try more flexible, “leaner” packages and Disney doesn’t want to get involved. This is patently false. Disney has been negotiating with them in good faith for weeks and has proposed a number of flexible options, in addition to innovative ways to collaborate to bring Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming services to DirecTV’s customers.

As the past few years have shown, the only constant in the entertainment world is change. While television and the broader media ecosystem are constantly evolving, Disney is the clear industry leader in storytelling and developing flexible distribution models that meet evolving consumer tastes and needs.

For more details and alternative ways to access Disney content, consumers can visit KeepMyNetworks.com.