Over the weekend, DIRECTV reached a deal with Disney that will give it a bunch of features but, most importantly, it will now be able to sell smaller cheaper TV packages.
These TV packages will give you the ability to subscribe to just sports channels or just news channels for example.
The new multiyear contract is set to redefine how viewers access and experience content. It features:
- Continued Access to Disney’s Linear Channels: Viewers will continue to enjoy Disney’s entertainment, sports, and news channels, including ABC-owned television stations, ESPN networks, Disney-branded channels, Freeform, FX networks, and National Geographic.
- Genre-Specific Bundles: Customers will have the opportunity to choose from curated packages focused on sports, entertainment, or kids and family content, incorporating both linear channels and streaming services like Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
- Integration of Streaming Services: Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming platforms will be available as part of select DIRECTV packages or on an à la carte basis, providing greater flexibility for subscribers.
- Access to ESPN’s Upcoming Streaming Service: When ESPN launches its flagship direct-to-consumer service, DIRECTV customers will have access at no additional cost.
These changes are things many services have been dreaming of for years but, most important, the bundles of small lists of channels for sports, entertainment, or kids and family content.
We still lack the important details on pricing and what channels are there, but this is the closest to à la carte TV we have ever gotten and one step closer to changing how people watch TV for the better. No longer will you need to pay for 100+ channels just to get the handful of channels you want.
Now the question is will YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu, and more get simular deals.