DIRECTV vs. Disney Dominates Week’s Headlines; This Weekend Stream NFL, US Open, More
While we are still technically in summer, as we head into the first weekend post-Labor Day, the streaming world is changing, even if the leaves aren’t yet doing so. From blackouts to football’s kickoff, from Grand Slam tennis to the return of one of the best shows on TV, this week has been a busy one across the streaming landscape and I am here to catch you up on everything that you need to know.
This Week in Streaming:
Top Streaming Story of the Week: Disney Pulls Channels from DIRECTV in Carriage Dispute
Heading into another weekend, the pressure ramps up for DIRECTV and Disney to find common ground on their headline-dominating carriage agreement struggles.
On Sept. 1, while millions of DIRECTV and DIRECTV Via Internet customers were tuned into the U.S. Open on ESPN or getting ready to watch the LSU-USC college football game on ABC, service went dark across all Disney-owned channels as the negotiating deadline on a new carriage deal passed, sending cable channel distributor DIRECTV and Disney to the negotiating table for the first time since 2019. For as long as the blackout continues, in addition to ABC and ESPN, DIRECTV satellite and streaming package customers will not be able to access ESPN2, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, National Geographic, and more.
As the U.S. Open concludes and the college and NFL seasons get underway, both distributor and programmer have extra incentive to reach a deal; in fact, it’s not uncommon for deals carriage deals to expire in the fall around Labor Day so channel owners can maximize their leverage ahead of the football season (see: Disney and Carter’s dispute last fall).
But so far, neither side is backing down, and DIRECTV seems intent on using the opportunity with an owner as big as Disney to reshape the whole system, aiming to create slimmed-down and flexible channel packages as opposed to Disney’s one-size-fits-all “bloated bundles” and “limited options.” In a Tuesday conference call, DIRECTV CFO Ray Carpenter stated, “We’re not playing a short-term game. We need something that is going to work for the long-term sustainability of our video customers … This is much more than a run-of-the-mill dispute; this is more existential for us. We would hate for our customers to not have access to any of the great content that is available via the Disney channels, but we’re not playing a short-term game.”
In the back and forth, DIRECTV set up the website Unbundledisney.com to publicly address its grievances, claiming programmers like Disney force customers to pay for more than they want for channels they don’t want, while also shifting their programming across multiple streaming services (in Disney’s case, Hulu and Disney+). Disney set up Keepmynetworks.com in response, where it states its case for fair carriage rates and shows customers where they can access Disney-owned networks if they cannot get them through DIRECTV.
In a statement on Wednesday, Disney co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro accused DIRECTV of “misrepresent[ing] the facts” of their continued negotiations and said the company has offered DIRECTV the opportunity to create multiple packages, including a sports-focused channel package for its ESPN brands and ABC. The company is also pushing for a new carriage contract that forbids DIRECTV from pursuing antitrust remedies against the company.
As both the blackout and contract discussions continue (though hopefully not for much longer, with more games, the 2024 Emmy Awards, and the first Harris-Trump debate on the horizon), don’t miss out: find out where to stream Disney-owned channels, whether you’re a current DIRECTV customer or not.
For DIRECTV customers stuck in the dark, the distributor is offering a one-time $20 credit during the dispute.
Sling TV is also getting in on the action and taking advantage of the Disney downtime: the live streamer is currently offering a pair of deals for new customers to get 50% off their first month of service (or a limited-time deal on a prepaid Sling Season Pass plan).
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is The Streamable’s choice for the best live TV streaming service for users who want the most channels. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, four main channel packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV STREAM is a great choice for any cord-cutter.
What to Stream This Weekend: U.S. Open Tennis Finals, NFL Opening Weekend
Despite DIRECTV and Disney dominating the head-to-head talks, it’s a big weekend for major battles as the U.S. Open wraps with the Women’s Singles Final (No. 6 Jessica Pegula of the United States vs. No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus) and the Men’s Doubles Final (No. 7: M. Purcell and J. Thompson of Australia vs No. 10: K. Krawietz and T. Pütz of Germany) on Saturday, with the Men’s Singles Final on Sunday; players still to be determined.
All three matches will be available on ESPN via a streaming service such as Hulu + Live TV or Sling TV.
While the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles go head to head on Friday night on Peacock (kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET), the NFL season fully gets underway this weekend with 13 match-ups on the season’s first Sunday, including NBC’s Sunday Night Football match between the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions from Ford Field in Detroit, the teams’ first bout since October 2021.
Looking for all the games in the 2024–2025 NFL Season? Find out how to stream the entire season here!
What to Catch Up on This Weekend: “Slow Horses” Season 4
Looking for something a little more reliable? Catch up on one of Apple TV+’s best and most consistent shows! The streamer’s British espionage thriller series “Slow Horses” returned for its fourth season this past week on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and unlike the series’ ragtag group of outcasts, the dramedy keeps the bar well above competent.
Based on Mick Herron’s “Slough House” book series, the darkly funny drama follows a team of British intelligence agents whose career-wrecking mistakes have led them to a dumping-ground department of MI5, led by the brilliant but bad-tempered Jackson Lamb (played by Gary Oldman).
The new season is based on the fourth book in the series, “Spook Street,” where agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) must come to grips with the mental decline of his grandfather, David Cartwright (Jonathan Pryce), a retired MI5 officer. But what happens when someone who holds too many of the government’s secrets forgets they’re supposed to remain secret? The elite ensemble also features Kristin Scott Thomas, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar, Christopher Chung, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, and Kadiff Kirwan with Hugo Weaving, Joanna Scanlan, Ruth Bradley, Tom Brooke, and James Callis joining for Season 4.
Watch the trailer for “Slow Horses” Season 4 below:
Quick-witted and quick-paced, “Slow Horses” is keeping up the acclaim in Season 4 and currently holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with a 96% Audience Score, making it one of the best-returning series on TV. And the Emmys this year took notice: Oldman, Lowden, and Pryce are all nominated for Outstanding Lead, Supporting, and Guest Actor in a Drama Series awards, respectively. The series has nine nominations this year overall, including Outstanding Drama Series.
New episodes of “Slow Horses” are available on Wednesdays through Oct. 9 exclusively on Apple TV+. You can watch with {topServiceSuggestionSignUp}, which will also give you access to the streamer’s other great series, including the new Vince Vaughn-led surreal comedy “Bad Monkey” or the Peabody Award-winning “Pachinko,” which is currently halfway through its second season with new episodes streaming Fridays.
Slow Horses
Follow a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents—and their obnoxious boss, the notorious Jackson Lamb—as they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.