Spectrum on Thursday said that all subscribers of its TV Select packages will get the ad-based version of Disney+ for free at no additional cost.
Subscribers who can go here to sign up for a Disney+ Basic subscription. Customers with an existing Disney+ subscription can go to the service’s app or site to change their account to fall under the Spectrum benefit.
The perk is the result of a deal between Spectrum, owned by Charter Communications, and Disney, which saw their dispute spill into the public with blackout that removed ESPN, FX, and several ABC affiliates from the nation’s second-largest cable provider before an agreement was struck. The move was part of a deal seen as a model for distribution deals going forward, with Disney agreeing to offer its streaming services in exchange for dropping lower rated cable channels.
“With the launch of the Disney+ Basic offer, TV Select customers can now enjoy access to Disney’s popular streaming content as well as their high-quality linear TV channels, all included as part of one video package,” said Tom Montemagno, executive vice president of programming acquisition for Charter. “As the video industry continues to evolve, we are committed to including direct-to-consumer apps like Disney+ with Spectrum services while providing a simplified TV viewing experience through platforms such as the Xumo Stream Box. We are pleased to partner with Disney to further this goal to the benefit of our mutual customers.”
The deal also calls for certain Spectrum TV customers to get ESPN+ for free, with the intention of also getting Disney’s future ESPN streaming service as well. Spectrum said the ESPN+ offer will come to Spectrum TV Select Plus customers “in the coming months.” In exchange, Spectrum dropped several Disney cable channels, including Freeform, FXM, FXX, and Nat Geo Wild.
“The inclusion of Disney+ alongside a curated lineup of our TV channels brings the best of both worlds from Disney’s unrivaled entertainment portfolio to Charter’s video customers,” said Justin Connolly, president of platform distribution for Walt Disney. “Our goal has always been to meet consumers where they are, and these collective offerings will maximize value for Spectrum TV Select customers while simultaneously broadening the audience of our advertiser supported streaming services.”
The freebie also comes two days after Cord Cutters News reported on rate increases to hit Spectrum customers starting on January 30.