• Loading stock data...
Friday, June 27, 2025
Front Office Sports Launches Front Office Sports Studios Learn More

Disney Channels Including ESPN Yanked From DirecTV During US Open

  • Disney’s distribution deal with DirecTV expired Sunday evening with no new deal reached in time.
  • DirecTV subscribers lost their Disney channels mid-US Open.
ESPN headquarters
LOC

DirecTV subscribers suddenly lost their Disney-owned channels Sunday evening just after 7pm EST, including ABC and ESPN, during the fourth round of US Open tennis on ESPN and just before the start of a USC-LSU college football game on ABC.

But it wasn’t sudden if they had been paying attention to the current carriage dispute between DirecTV and Disney. The distribution deal between the two was set to expire Sunday, and the two did not come to terms on a new deal in time for the deadline.

DirecTV customers in many markets are still able to watch ABC since those affiliates are owned by Sinclair, TEGNA, Scripps or other companies. But several of the largest TV markets—including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Houston—are out of luck since Disney owns those ABC affiliates.

“DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the US Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season,” Disney and ESPN execs said in a joint statement Sunday. “While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs.”

In a long press release sent to Front Office Sports, DirecTV said, “Just hours before today’s expiration, Disney demanded that to reach any licensing agreement or to extend access to its programming, DirecTV must agree to waive all claims that Disney’s behavior is anti- competitive. Moreover, any future lawsuits resulting from DirecTV/Disney licensing agreements would be adjudicated in California – and not New York – because – as Disney counsel specifically stated – SDNY Judge Garnett ‘didn’t understand the issues’ when granting a preliminary injunction against Disney’s Venu Sports. Disney’s last-minute demands to foreclose upon any legal accountability for its growing pattern of anti-competitive actions should be troubling to all pro-consumer advocacy groups, regulators, and Department of Justice attorneys alike.”

A quote within the statement from DirecTV Chief Programming Officer Rob Thun is even more severely worded: “The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system. Disney is in the business of creating alternate realities, but this is the real world where we believe you earn your way and must answer for your own actions. They want to continue to chase maximum profits and dominant control at the expense of consumers – making it harder for them to select the shows and sports they want at a reasonable price.”

The US Open, in a statement, said, “It is disappointing that fans and viewers around the country will not have the opportunity to watch the greatest athletes in our sport take part in the 2024 US Open due to an unresolved negotiation between DirecTV and Disney, resulting in the loss of access to ESPN. We are hopeful that this dispute can be resolved as quickly as possible.”

Much of the enmity at the heart of the dispute between DirecTV and Disney comes from Disney’s participation in Venu, the joint-venture pay TV streaming bundle from Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery. DirecTV is no fan of Venu; Thun wrote in a recent blog post, “We disagree with Venu’s anti-competitive strategy.” FuboTV won a temporary injunction against Venu last month.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NBA Draft Ratings Fall 14.5% Despite Early Cooper Flagg Lift

3.77 million viewers watched across ESPN and ABC.
Mar 23, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jeremy Roach (3) reacts after a play during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center.

Power Four Put Finishing Touches on How Revenue Sharing Era Will Work

The agreement stipulates that schools can’t sue to challenge any terms of the settlement.

Featured Today

Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) dribbles the ball upcourt against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half at Dickies Arena
June 22, 2025

NIL Is Shrinking the Pool of NBA Draft Entrants

Agents are now advising many players to stay in school.
Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field
June 21, 2025

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.

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

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
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 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.
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 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.
June 17, 2025

Zaslav Takes Pay Cut, TNT Sports Future Unclear in WBD Shake-Up

The TNT Sports parent company retools its executive pay after shareholder pushback.
Tyrese Haliburton
June 16, 2025

NBA Finals Ratings Up Again in Game 4 but Still Down Overall

More than nine million people watched Games 3 and 4.