In recent weeks, the world of college football has been met with uncertainty as several NCAA Division I major conference programs, including the Clemson Tigers, reported positive Covid-19 cases among their football players. This has added a layer of complexity to the planned start of the college football season, raising questions about the safety and feasibility of moving forward with games.
In a separate development, DirecTV and Disney have come to an agreement following a roughly two-week blackout that left DirecTV's more than 11 million customers without access to Disney's ESPN and other channels. The deal, which was reached in time for college football games airing on ABC, ESPN, SEC Network, and ACC Network, as well as the Emmy Awards on ABC, brings Disney's networks back to DirecTV customers.
The dispute between DirecTV and Disney centered around fees and bundle structures, with DirecTV executives advocating for the ability to offer genre-specific bundles to customers. The agreement reached between the two companies now allows DirecTV to provide multiple genre-specific options, including sports, entertainment, and kids and family, which include Disney's traditional TV networks as well as its streaming services.
The inclusion of Disney's streaming services and the future launch of ESPN's flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service in DirecTV's packages has been described as a "first-of-its-kind collaboration" by the two companies. This deal highlights the importance of live sports, such as college football and Monday Night Football, in the media landscape and the value it holds for both media companies and pay-TV providers.
The resolution of the dispute between DirecTV and Disney underscores the ongoing changes in the media industry, as customers increasingly turn to streaming services and alternative forms of entertainment. The agreement reached between the two companies serves as a reminder of the evolving nature of the pay-TV bundle and the importance of adapting to meet the changing preferences of consumers.