DirecTV and Disney Settle Dispute, Reach Deal to Restore ESPN, ABC

Matt Newton | Sep 14, 2024

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

A distribution dispute that resulted in DirecTV customers being unable to view Disney-owned channels such as ABC and ESPN for nearly two weeks came to an end on Saturday morning, as Disney and DirecTV announced in a joint statement that the two companies have come to terms on a deal. Importantly, the dispute was resolved and the channels were restored before the bulk of this weekend's premier programming aired, including ESPN's slate of college football games on Saturday and the 2024 Emmys, which will be broadcast on ABC on Sunday at 8pm ET.

“We’d like to thank all affected viewers for their patience and are pleased to restore Disney’s entire portfolio of networks in time for college football and the Emmy Awards this weekend,” the companies said in a joint statement.

DirecTV's airing of Disney-owned channels was halted on September 1st, most notably resulting in millions of DirecTV subscribers being unable to watch the first Monday Night Football game of the season between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets.

“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we negotiated this challenging but vital agreement, which now provides them more flexibility and choice within a seamless entertainment experience.”

The new distribution deal will include new offerings for customers that includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu.