After a two-week blackout, ESPN and other Disney-owned channels are back on DirecTV. The Walt Disney Company and DirecTV launched a On Saturday, they announced that they are in the process of finalizing a new contract and that all of the channels affected by their dispute have been restored. That includes ABC, Freeform, FX and National Geographic channels. Disney pulled the plug in early September after the two companies failed to reach an agreement before their old contract expired. Inconveniently for sports fans, the blackout coincided with the start of football season.
The new multi-year deal brings back Disney's full linear suite of channels to DirecTV, with bundle options for genre-focused channel packages (sports, family, etc.) and Disney's streaming services: Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. ESPN's upcoming direct-to-consumer service, which is will be included for free. In their statement, Disney and DirecTV said the new deal will give customers “the ability to customize their video experience through more flexible options.” They also added, “We would like to thank all affected viewers for their patience and are pleased to restore Disney’s full portfolio of networks in time for college football and the Emmy Awards this weekend.”