LOS ANGELES - ESPN and other Disney-owned channels have gone dark on DirecTV.

Negotiators failed to come to terms on a new carriage agreement, a business impasse that reflects the broader economic pain spreading throughout the pay TV sector, Variety reported.

The blackout came on a big weekend for college football and during ESPN’s coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. It affects most of DirecTV’s 11 million-plus subscribers in the U.S.

DirecTV stated that Disney made the decision to pull the plug as negotiations were under way. Disney leaders argued they had no choice as DirecTV has balked paying what it described as market rates for its channels.

Story Date: September 9, 2024