Is ESPN Leaving Directv? What Channels are in Dispute with Directv?

Is ESPN Leaving Directv?

Walt Disney Co. channels, including ESPN and ABC, were removed from DirecTV platforms on Sunday because the two companies couldn't agree on a new distribution deal. This affects nearly 11 million DirecTV customers. The blackout happened right before a big college football game between USC and LSU and during ESPN's coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

The two companies had been negotiating for weeks but couldn't reach an agreement on the contract and fees Disney charges to show its channels. As a result, DirecTV and its U-Verse service lost the rights to broadcast Disney channels.

What Channels are in Dispute with Directv?

DirecTV and Disney couldn't agree on a new contract, so channels like ESPN, Disney Channel, FX, and others went dark on Sunday night. The two companies had been negotiating to keep Disney's content on DirecTV's services, but their five-year contract ended on September 1, and they couldn't reach a new deal. As a result, over 11 million DirecTV subscribers lost access to popular channels, including ESPN and ESPN2, just as the college and pro football seasons are starting.

Other channels that went dark include ESPN Deportes, ESPNU, ESPN News, ACC Network, SEC Network, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, FX, FX Movie Channel, FXX, Freeform, and National Geographic.

For sports fans, this is especially frustrating because ESPN is currently broadcasting the U.S. Open tennis championships and has major football games coming up. The blackout affected the USC vs. LSU football game on Sunday night, which was supposed to air at 7:30 p.m. ET. Local ABC stations in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham, Houston, and Fresno were also blacked out.

People's Reaction on ESPN Leaving Directv

Disney Entertainment leaders Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro blamed DirecTV for blocking millions of subscribers from accessing their content, especially during the important times like the final week of the U.S. Open, the start of college football, and the upcoming NFL season. They said they won't agree to a deal that undervalues their TV channels and programs.

In response, a DirecTV representative argued that Disney is raising prices while also making its content unavailable.

A similar issue happened in September 2023 between Disney and Spectrum, another TV provider. Spectrum said this wasn't a typical disagreement over channel carriage. The conflict was resolved a few days later, but some channels were removed from Spectrum’s lineup. While major channels like ESPN, Disney Channel, FX, and Nat Geo were restored, others like Freeform, FXX, Disney Junior, and Nat Geo Wild were no longer available on Spectrum TV.