Licensing Disagreement Forces Disney TV Channels, Including ESPN, Off DirecTV
Disney's television channels, including ESPN and eight of its local ABC affiliates, remained blacked out early yesterday on DirecTV. Sunday night, the blockage went into effect when the two companies failed to come to terms on a new carriage agreement. DirecTV's 11 million subscribers, including those with Internet-based U-Verse TV, stopped receiving coverage in the middle of tennis' U.S. Open, starting at 7:20 p.m. EDT. With the college football season underway, subscribers are in jeopardy of not receiving coverage on ESPN networks, including the flagship as well as ACC Network, SEC Network, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes. ESPN will also be broadcasting the NFL's Week 1 Monday Night Football game between the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers. That game also will be simulcast on ABC.










