As the NFL season kicks off Thursday, there's another contest happening that affects 11 million TV viewers who can't watch some sports and other programming.
DirecTV and Disneyare negotiating a new contract allowing DirecTV's satellite and streaming services – and AT&T's U-Verse TV – to broadcast ESPN, the Disney Channel, FX and other Disney-owned networks and channels.
All those channels went dark Sunday, Sept. 1, when DirecTV's five-year contract with Disney ran out. For now, DirecTV subscribers cannot watch those channels, nor ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU, ESPN News, ACC Network, SEC Network, Disney Junior, and National Geographic.
Also blacked out: eight Disney-owned ABC stations including channels in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
Talks are ongoing, but if a resolution isn't reached, sports fans are set to miss a slew of broadcasted events over the next few days.
The final rounds of the U.S. Open tennis tournament begin Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN with the women's semifinals. The men's semifinals are scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The women's final is at 4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN. The men's final is at 2 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC.
DirecTV-Disney dispute:DirecTV subscribers can get a $20 credit for the Disney/ESPN blackout. Here's how to apply
What NFL and college football games are coming up on ESPN?
Upcoming college football games on ESPN and Disney-owned networks on Saturday, Sept. 7 (all times Eastern):
- Noon: Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State (ABC and ESPN+), Kansas State vs. Tulane (ESPN), Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse (ACC Network), Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati (ESPN2), Troy vs. Memphis (ESPNU).
- 12:45 p.m.: McNeese vs. Texas A&M (SEC Network)
- 3:30 p.m.: California vs. Auburn (ESPN2)
- 3:30 p.m.: South Carolina vs. Kentucky (ABC and ESPN+)
- 4 p.m.: University of Texas-San Antonio vs. Texas State (ESPNU)
- 4:15 p.m.: Middle Tennessee vs. Mississippi (SEC Network)
- 7 p.m.: South Florida vs. Alabama (ESPN)
- 7 p.m.: Virginia vs. Wake Forest (ESPN2)
- 7:30 p.m.: Tennessee vs. NC State (ABC and ESPN+) and Houston vs. Oklahoma (SEC Network)
- 8 p.m.: Appalachian State vs. Clemson (ACC Network)
- 10:15 p.m.: Liberty vs. New Mexico State (ESPN2)
- 10:30 p.m.: Mississippi State vs. Arizona State (ESPN)
NFL: Upcoming games on Disney-owned channels include:
- Monday, Sept. 9: New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers at 8:20 p.m. on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+; the ManningCast with Peyton and Eli Manning will be on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
- Monday, Sept. 16: Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles (ESPN); ManningCast on ESPN2. (Note: not scheduled for ESPN+).
DirecTV-Disney blackout: How can subscribers watch ESPN and other sports channels?
If you want to watch upcoming college football and NFL action on ESPN and its networks, you have some options:
- ESPN+: You can get a standalone subscription to the streaming service for $10.99 monthly. You can also get it as part of a Disney bundle of services including Disney+ and Hulu, starting at $14.99 monthly.
- Fubo: This streaming service, which includes ESPN and local channels including ABC where available, offers a seven-day free trial. After that, it costs$49.99 for the first month and $79.99 per month, subsequently. That basic Pro plan gets you at least 185 live channels including ESPN2, ACC Network Disney, Disney JR., Disney XD, Freeform FX, FXX and National Geographic. The Elite with Sports Plus package ($69.99 first month; $99.99 monthly after that) gets you ESPNU, ESPNews, SEC Network and NFL RedZone.
- Hulu + Live TV: This Disney-owned streaming service has a three-day trial and starts at $76.99 monthly for more than 95 channels including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, ACC Network, SEC Network, Disney, Disney JR., Disney XD, Freeform FX, FXX, FX Movies, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild. The $76.99 plan also gets you Disney+ (With Ads) and ESPN+ (With Ads). You also get access to the Hulu streaming service, which has original programs including"Only Murders in the Building." You can pay more to avoid commercials and get additional channels such as NFL RedZone.
- Sling TV: Sling Orange (no free trial, $15 for your first month, then $40 monthly) has 35 channels including ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3, Disney Channel, Freeform. But sports fans would likely want to add Sling Blue and the Sports Extra package ($45 your first month, then $70 monthly), which gets you as many as 74 channels including ACC Network, ESPNU, ESPNews, the SEC Network, NFL RedZone and local Fox and NBC networks (if available).
- YouTube TV: The streaming service currently has a "Try 3 weeks free" offer currently on its site. After that, your first four months of the YouTube TV Base Plan is $64.99 per month. That increases to $72.99 in the fifth month. YouTube TV has more than 100 channels including these affected by the blackout ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Disney XC, FX, FXM, FXX, Freeform, ACC Network, SEC Network, National Geographic and National Geographic Wild (plus local ABC channels blacked out in 9 cities, too).
- Try a digital antenna: Getting ESPN+ or the Disney bundle isn't a catchall because the app doesn't stream every event on ESPN's liner networks, Ross Benes, senior TV and streaming analyst for eMarketer, told USA TODAY. However, a digital antenna can be used to get ABC and other major networks for free on your digital TV. However, he said, "not only do you have to buy the antenna, you need to mount it near a window or outside, point it toward the direction of the station, hope you are within distance of signal, and hope you don’t have anything blocking your transmission."
Probably your easiest – if more costly bet – is to subscribe to a live streaming TV service such as Fubo or YouTube TV, he said. "But keep an eye out, digital cable is prone to carriage disputes, too," he said. "Digital cable has more flexibility to cancel when your sport season is done or if they drop channels."
When will the DirecTV-Disney dispute end?
There's no telling. Both sides told USA TODAY that talks were active and ongoing. However, rancorous public attacks suggest the standoff won't end soon.
DirecTV chief financial officer Ray Carpenter told analysts in a converence call Tuesday that DirecTV asked Disney to let viewers watch the USC-LSU football game on Sunday night, but instead took a "hostile approach to our customers" and called for the blackout.
Disney and ESPN executives charged that DirecTV "continues to misrepresent the facts around our ongoing negotiations," including its statement that DirecTV waive any future legal claims against Disney to achieve a deal.
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