Disney and DirecTV head into a big sports weekend with no carriage deal

Negotiations for a new carriage deal between Disney and DirecTV are continuing into this weekend, reports Deadline. Meanwhile, the two are lobbing messaging at customers who are left out in the cold as the first NFL weekend kicks off.

It’s been a week since DirecTV customers have been able to watch channels like ABC or ESPN. Disney published posts on Instagram and elsewhere, Variety wrote, pointing DirecTV viewers to alternatives like Spectrum or Disney’s own Hulu with live TV subscription to watch things like the US Open tennis tournament or the upcoming Monday Night Football game between the Jets and the 49ers.

Last week, Disney accused DirecTV of “an agreement that undervalues our portfolio,” while DirecTV insisted that Disney is just trying to “maximize profits” at customers’ expense.

DirecTV posted yesterday that it’s offering credits to affected customers if they subscribe to Sling or Fubo, and accused Disney of doing “everything it can to keep you from watching your favorite team unless they offer it to you exclusively.” The company also pointed out Disney’s past carrier disputes that led to blackouts of Spectrum last year, Dish in 2022, and YouTube TV in 2021.