DirecTV users lose access to ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels due to contract dispute
DirecTV and Disney were unable to reach an agreement over the weekend, after which Disney removed channels from the platform.
Scripps News
With DirecTV and Disney still feuding like an old married couple, DirecTV customers hoping to watch Monday Night Football between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets on ABC are in for a rude awakening when they find out that DirecTV no longer carries the channel.
Due to a contract dispute between DirecTV and Disney, Disney removed most of its programming from DirecTV servers on September 1, leaving the DirecTV owners without channels like ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, SEC Network, and yes, ABC. Non-sports-related channels like Disney Channel, FX, and National Geographic were also removed. None of these channels have returned as both parties continue to work on a new contract.
This predicament presents NFL fans with quite a conundrum. How are they supposed to watch the NFL’s Week 1 finale? Well, there are a variety of ways to get your NFL fix tonight without DirecTV.
MORE ABOUT IT: Dispute between Disney and DirecTV: ESPN and other channels will be switched off in the pay-TV system
How to watch Monday Night Football without DirecTV:
If you can’t watch Monday Night Football now, you can still stream the game. The game can be streamed on Fubo and ESPN+.
Stream the game: Watch Monday Night Football with a Fubo subscription
What’s going on between Disney and DirecTV?
A five-year contract between Disney and DirecTV that allowed DirecTV to broadcast Disney-owned content expired on September 1. Although both parties had been negotiating a new contract, they were unable to reach an agreement before the contract expired, and it appears they are far from reaching an agreement.
The dispute had reportedly escalated over the past week, with DirecTV subscribers who watch ESPN receiving warning messages that they may lose access to ESPN and its associated networks. The message then urged viewers to visit KeepMyESPN.com to learn more. On the website, Disney says, “We are continually working with our cable, satellite, telco and streaming distribution partners to continue to offer our fans our networks in their TV channel listings. Disney Entertainment has a very successful track record of negotiating with providers of all types and sizes across the country and is committed to negotiating fair, market-based rates and terms.”
Early Monday, a Disney representative reached out to USA Today and urged DirecTV to stop making distractions and instead put its customers first. They believe bringing back “Monday Night Football” to their customers would be a good start. Disney also claimed that they are working tirelessly to reach an agreement, saying, “We continue to negotiate with DirecTV to restore access to our content as quickly as possible.” This claim contradicts what DirecTV’s Chief Content Officer Rob Thun said after the initial blackout on Sept. 1 when asked how close DirecTV and Disney were to reaching an agreement, when he said that “there’s nobody in the room talking right now.”
