The Walt Disney Co. has filed a lawsuit against Dish Network’s digital subsidiary, Sling TV, alleging that the streaming service included Disney’s networks in new short-term subscription packages without permission. The suit, filed Tuesday evening in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, accuses Sling of breaching its licensing agreement by offering “passes” that grant access to Disney’s programming for as little as a day, weekend, or week, starting at just $4.99 according to a report from Deadline.
In a statement in response to the lawsuit a Sling Spokesperson said to Cord Cutters News:
At Sling TV, everything we do is with our customers in mind. We’re proud to have launched our newest Sling Orange subscription offerings, Day Pass, Weekend Pass and Week Pass, designed to redefine streaming and give viewers more flexibility, more choice and more control over how they watch live TV.
We are aware of what has been filed and believe Disney’s lawsuit is meritless. We will vigorously defend our right to bring customers a viewing experience that fits their lives, on their schedule and on their terms.
We are excited about our new pass subscriptions and the overwhelmingly positive response we’ve received from fans looking for simple, affordable ways to enjoy the content they love.
Sling unveiled these passes earlier this month, offering consumers access to its full programming bundle for as little as a day, a weekend, or a full week, with prices starting at $4.99. This is a significant departure from Sling’s standard subscription model, which begins at $45.99 per month. The mini-bundles, rolled out to coincide with the start of the college football season and the NFL season, aim to attract viewers seeking flexible, low-cost options for watching live sports and other programming. Disney, however, alleges that Sling implemented these offerings without consulting or obtaining approval from the media giant, a move it claims breaches their contractual obligations.
The introduction of these short-term packages could reshape the television industry by providing consumers with an easy way to access and discontinue programming on demand. Beyond sports, the model has potential implications for high-profile events like the Oscars, as well as other entertainment and news programming. This flexibility, however, disrupts decades of pay-TV industry norms, where long-term contracts, often spanning two years, were standard. While the streaming era has loosened such rigid agreements, programmers like Disney still expect operators to offer their content for at least a month to maintain stable distribution and revenue streams. Sling’s micro-bundles, which encourage frequent subscriber turnover, challenge this established framework.
Sling TV, operating under EchoStar, has a history of pushing boundaries in the pay-TV sector. A decade ago, its parent company, Dish Network, introduced the Hopper, a DVR that automatically skipped commercials, delighting customers but infuriating network owners and advertisers. That move sparked lawsuits from multiple media companies, culminating in a settlement in 2016. EchoStar’s strategic shift toward the wireless telecom business has diminished its pay-TV operations, but Sling continues to provoke industry players with its unconventional approaches.
The lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between Disney and Sling, a relationship marked by contentious negotiations. Dish’s co-founder and EchoStar’s board chairman, Charlie Ergen, has long been known for his aggressive tactics in carriage disputes, resulting in Sling losing access to networks like CBS, HBO, and Univision at various points. Disney’s legal action underscores its determination to enforce its licensing terms and protect its content distribution model against Sling’s disruptive innovations.
As the case unfolds, the outcome could set a precedent for how programmers and operators navigate the evolving landscape of television consumption, where flexibility and affordability are increasingly prized by consumers.
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