And just like that, the showdown between DirecTV and Disney has escalated to the point where (among other networks) ESPN and ABC have been yanked from the channel lineup. The fallout from this carriage dispute means no more U.S. Open tennis and no LSU vs. USC matchup on Sunday night. And in just over a week, it spells bad news for football fans as the highly anticipated Jets at 49ers game will be missing from the slate for Week 1 of Monday Night Football.
The tension between the two media giants is palpable, with ESPN releasing a scathing statement on the matter. “DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the U.S. Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season,” the statement reads. “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. We invest significantly to deliver the No. 1 brands in entertainment, news and sports because that’s what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming.”
With ABC still accessible through traditional over-the-air affiliates, viewers have a way to catch their favorite shows. However, the absence of ESPN on DirecTV leaves customers scrambling to find alternative ways to watch their beloved sports programming.
The decline of DirecTV’s subscriber base from more than 20 million to fewer than nine million is no secret, and this latest debacle certainly won’t help reverse that worrisome trend. As fans and subscribers are left in the dark, all eyes are on DirecTV to come to a resolution with Disney to bring back the missing programming. Time will tell if a deal can be struck, but for now, the only certainty is that sports fans are left in the lurch with no end in sight.
