STLtoday.com

The start of September kicks off with an eclectic mix of action from the much-anticipated return of the NFL, college football, and the best that tennis has to offer at the US Open, not to mention the Emmy® Awards and Presidential Debate on ABC later this month. Yet, millions of DirecTV customers are left in the dark while ESPN and other Disney-owned channels are blacked out due to DirecTV’s decision to decline a fair, marketplace-based agreement with The Walt Disney Company.

“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,” said Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chairmen, Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN. “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,” they added.

This is starting to get ridiculous.

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney ... formation/

It's called 'negotiations' ...

Disney is stating 'DirecTV is declining a fair, marketplace-based agreement with Disney ... Obviously, DirecTV doesn't feel Disney's latest $$$ demand isn't that fair. This happens every now and then in the TV industry. I have seen cable companies get into the same situations, etc.
All of these get worked out.

THe article says they have been negotiating for several weeks now without an agreement. Obviously, Disney realizes with the start of college football season on ESPN that they can use that for extra leverage and pressure on DirecTV. Since the upcoming presidential debate is on their owned ABC network , Disney adds that to the pressure too as it will be a highly watched show on Sept. 10th

These are a 2-way street .. From Disney's position , they hope that tons of DirecTV subscribers call us DirecTV complaining that they won't get to watch their favorite college football games etc. even threatening to drop service etc.

From DirecTV's position, “Disney is demanding that customers pay for channels they don’t watch and pony up for Disney’s streaming services, whether they want them or not,” a DirecTV spokesperson told TheWrap. “And even more frustrating and incredulous is that, earlier today, Disney demanded that to reach a deal, we must waive all future legal claims that its behavior is anti-competitive.”

It's called negotiations

When the Cardinals and Dodgers met in the 2013 postseason I missed all the playoffs until Turner, whose TBS was airing the ballgames, kissed and made up with our cable provider. Just another reason cable companies need local competition. The Feds broke up the Bell System, but they permit cable-TV monopolies?

I own several local cable companies and these guys are both arrogant as holes

Noticed that this afternoon. I suppose I will wait it out. There was a local channel that was out for a long time a year or so ago. Think it was the local Fox Channel out of KC. One day it was just back on like nothing had happened.

1_12_1968 wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 22:20 pm I own several local cable companies and these guys are both arrogant as holes

Which group, ABC/ESPN, or Directv?

I bet directv does lower the monthly price even though the customer isn't receiving full service.

JuanAgosto wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:24 pm I bet directv does lower the monthly price even though the customer isn't receiving full service.

I think you meant does not lower the monthly price. Where else can I watch the Cardinals if not on Bally's for the rest of the year. I have been looking for reasons to get rid of DirecTV for years. This is probably as good of a reason as any. I paid for a service that was supposed to include XY and Z channels. When those channels are not present, either I should receive a refund or it is time to move on.

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:56 pm

JuanAgosto wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:24 pm I bet directv does lower the monthly price even though the customer isn't receiving full service.

I think you meant does not lower the monthly price. Where else can I watch the Cardinals if not on Bally's for the rest of the year. I have been looking for reasons to get rid of DirecTV for years. This is probably as good of a reason as any. I paid for a service that was supposed to include XY and Z channels. When those channels are not present, either I should receive a refund or it is time to move on.

Yes, does not. My mistake. This was one of the reasons I dropped directv a few years ago (along with the $25 added charge to get fox sports midwest).

Disney-owned channels
whats the loss

MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:04 pm Noticed that this afternoon. I suppose I will wait it out. There was a local channel that was out for a long time a year or so ago. Think it was the local Fox Channel out of KC. One day it was just back on like nothing had happened.

Had Directv from 1997 until January of this year. We lost out ABC affiliate for about two months last year which ended in July. Then in September we lost out Fox affiliate for the same reason for about two months. Nextstar who owns a ton of local affiliates use the NFL to leverage a more favorable deal against Directv.

JuanAgosto wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:24 pm I bet directv does lower the monthly price even though the customer isn't receiving full service.

They never did in the past. Last year they offered a one time $10 credit if you called in and asked for it.

Note : posted this before reading your post correcting it to doesn’t.

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:56 pm

JuanAgosto wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:24 pm I bet directv does lower the monthly price even though the customer isn't receiving full service.

I think you meant does not lower the monthly price. Where else can I watch the Cardinals if not on Bally's for the rest of the year. I have been looking for reasons to get rid of DirecTV for years. This is probably as good of a reason as any. I paid for a service that was supposed to include XY and Z channels. When those channels are not present, either I should receive a refund or it is time to move on.

Our only other option for us was flipping to Fubo as most lacked the RSNs.

earp wrote: ↑02 Sep 2024 06:49 am Disney-owned channels
whats the loss

Try ESPN & ABC for starters .. that's the loss

Stlcardsblues wrote: ↑02 Sep 2024 07:48 am

MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: ↑01 Sep 2024 23:04 pm Noticed that this afternoon. I suppose I will wait it out. There was a local channel that was out for a long time a year or so ago. Think it was the local Fox Channel out of KC. One day it was just back on like nothing had happened.

Had Directv from 1997 until January of this year. We lost out ABC affiliate for about two months last year which ended in July. Then in September we lost out Fox affiliate for the same reason for about two months. Nextstar who owns a ton of local affiliates use the NFL to leverage a more favorable deal against Directv.

Yes, we lost the ABC affiliate in Knoxville for about a month in the past year ..that too was owned by Nextstar

If it drops the monthly bill by $20 (rumored to be what Disney gets), then I hope Spectrum follows.

But if DirectTV isn't dropping their monthly rate, then this is a joke.