DirecTV subscribers wanting to watch the LSU-USC football game on ABC, Braves-Phillies on ESPN, or US Open tennis on ESPN2 were left frustrated on Sunday night as the satellite TV provider pulled coverage in a carriage dispute with Disney.
Disney channels went dark on the service for its 11 million subscribers just after 7 p.m. ET, less than a half-hour before LSU and USC were scheduled to kick off from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
All Disney channels on DirecTV are dark right now, including ABC in markets where Disney owns the channel.
DirecTV subscribers in markets where other companies own the ABC affiliate have not experienced any disruption. https://t.co/l7V27jf5x2
— John Ourand (@Ourand_Puck) September 1, 2024
Viewers in markets where ABC is not on a Disney-owned channel are still able to watch network coverage. However, ABC owns stations in large markets including the top four in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Several subscribers on social media showed their ability to watch programming cut as events were ongoing.
“DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we had into the final week of the US Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season,” said a statement from The Walt Disney Company and ESPN shortly after the channels went dark.”
“While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distrbutors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs.”
The US Open also released a statement to fans unable to watch ESPN’s coverage due to the carriage dispute.
“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,” the statement read. “We are hopeful that this dispute can be resolved as quickly as possible.”
DirecTV subscribers hoping that negotiations with Disney are resolved before Saturday’s Week 2 college football coverage or next Monday’s Week 1 “Monday Night Football” matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets may still be shut out by then. A carriage dispute between Disney and Spectrum TV last year went on for 14 days before being settled, as the Los Angeles Times points out.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
