Access Denied: Disney Files Suit Against Sling TV After Debut of Daily Passes
I mean, I would have bought a day pass just for the Oscars too.
A new report reveals that Disney has filed a suit against Sling TV, alleging that their new passes program violates pre-existing agreements.
What’s Happening:
- Deadline is reporting that Disney is suing Sling TV, saying that the pay-TV platform included some of its networks without permission in a new suite of packages.
- Sling TV, owned by Dish Network, debuted “passes" earlier this month - offering full access to its bundle for a day, weekend, or full week starting at $4.99.
- The suit was filed on Tuesday evening in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In it, Disney alleges that Sling never consulted Disney about the “passes", which give users easy access to programming - potentially changing the landscape for sports, award shows, news, and various types of content.
- It’s in stark contrast to the precedent set in the pay-TV business, which usually consists of multi-year contracts. Streaming has changed that to a degree, but keeping the pay-TV at least on a monthly (not daily) basis.
- It is worth noting that Sling debuted the new “passes" at the start of the college football season, as well as the NFL season, also timed pretty well with the launch of the new ESPN DTC and enhanced app.
- A statement to Deadline from Sling shares how proud of the passes they are, “designed to redefine streaming and give viewers more flexibility, more choice, and more control over how they watch live TV."
- Disney told the publication, “Sling TV’s new offerings, which they made available without our knowledge or consent, violate the terms of our existing license agreement…We have asked the court to require Dish to comply with our deal when it distributes our programming."
- Regarding the suit, Sling told Deadline that they will “vigorously defend our right to bring customers a viewing experience that fits their lives, on their schedule and on their terms."
More on Sling’s (Problematic) Passes:
- Sling recently introduced Day, Weekend and Week Passes in order to give customers even more control over how they watch television.
- The new passes include live and on-demand access to popular networks on Sling Orange like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, A&E, TBS, Disney Channel, Comedy Central, History Channel, CNN and more.
- The pass options are as follows:
- Day Pass ($4.99) – Instant 24-hour access. Perfect for a big game, an awards show, or an impromptu movie night.
- Weekend Pass ($9.99) – Access from Friday to Sunday. Ideal for a weekend of games, a movie marathon, or catching up on a show.
- Week Pass ($14.99) – 7-day access. Great for a week-long tournament, watching a new series, or keeping the family entertained on break.