DIRECTV and FOX Avoid Blackout, Reach New Carriage Deal For FOX, FS1, and Big Ten Network
After warning customers earlier this week, DIRECTV and FOX have reached a new multi-year carriage deal, the companies have confirmed to The Streamable. As a result, DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM customers will continue to have access to FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Fox Deportes, Fox Soccer Plus, and Fox broadcast networks in owned-and-operated markets.
FOX owned-and-operated markets include local affiliates in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Gainesville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose.
They have a separate agreement for Fox News and Fox Business Network, which weren’t impacted by the dispute, and continue to be available on DIRECTV.
The timing of the deal means that DIRECTV customers will still be able to watch the knockout rounds of the World Cup. They will also be able to watch the Big Ten Championship between Michigan and Purdue, and the Mountain West Championship between Boise State and Fresno State, along with Sunday’s NFL on FOX coverage.
In a statement earlier this week to The Streamable, DIRECTV said:
Based on our excellent track record with Fox, we’re confident we’ll come to terms ahead of any potential disruption. In fact, we’ve renewed nearly 200 local FOX stations much like these over the last few years.
Ahead of Super Bowl LIV in 2020, FOX nearly dropped their streaming apps from Roku devices as a result of a carriage dispute.
Back in 2019, Fox and Dish Network had a carriage dispute that saw the same channels at the center of this dispute dropped by Dish Network and Sling TV, only to return ten days later.
DIRECTV is currently in a carriage dispute with Mission Broadcasting, which has seen ~25 local affiliates dark since late-October.