• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 5, 2025

Charter Deal Shows ESPN, Disney Need Linear Carriage

  • Battling companies strike “transformative” agreement to end standoff.
  • Charter gains enhanced ability to customize linear, digital packages.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The mere prospect of losing a single NFL game to the Disney-Charter Spectrum dispute helped broker a new deal between the two battling companies.

Just hours before the start of ESPN’s coverage of “Monday Night Football” featuring the highly anticipated matchup of the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, Disney and Charter completed what they are calling a “transformative agreement,” ending a standoff that lasted nearly 11 days.

The deal gets networks such as ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU back on the country’s second-largest cable carrier, providing a key segment of linear carriage for Disney — Charter’s 14.7 million subscribers — and at elevated rates for the company.

A Win For Spectrum Subscribers?

Perhaps more importantly for consumers, the deal grants Charter a series of digital elements, including the ability to offer ESPN+ and an ad-supported version of Disney+ to linear-TV subscribers, as well as the forthcoming full, direct-to-consumer version of ESPN to Spectrum TV Select subscribers. 

Charter will also market Disney-owned streaming services to its customers, particularly its broadband-only consumers. That elevated combination of linear and streaming programming will allow Charter to offer a heightened level of choice to consumers. 

After the now-concluded U.S. Open and two weekends of college football failed to prompt a deal, Disney and Charter’s announcement directly referenced giving Charter subscribers access to Disney programming “in time for ‘Monday Night Football.’” That restored access will be particularly impactful in New York, one of Charter’s top markets, with Monday’s Jets game.

“This deal recognizes both the continued value of linear television and growing popularity of streaming services, while addressing the evolving needs of our consumers,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger and Charter CEO Chris Winfrey in a joint statement.

With Charter’s enhanced ability to customize linear and streaming packages for consumers, as well as most-favored-nation clauses that can promote deal parity across the cable business, Disney could ultimately strike similar agreements with other major carriers. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) heads to the dugout prior to the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium.

MLB Changes Are ‘Showing Great Results’: Former CFO

Big stars playing in major markets “make a real difference.”

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.

Hot Dog Maven George Shea on Chestnut Comeback and Investor Interest

George Shea runs a real estate PR firm and Major League Eating.

Featured Today

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
June 29, 2025

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
Leo Messi
June 27, 2025

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.