When DirecTV viewers attempt to access a Disney-owned channel, they currently see a message reading: “Our contract with Disney, the owner of this channel, has expired. We appreciate your patience while we negotiate to offer you greater flexibility, choice, and value.”
A statement from Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairmen, Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN, countered: “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. 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 programmes. 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 finalise a deal that would immediately restore our programming.”