Dish and Fox this morning announced they have signed a multi-year carriage agreement that will return FS1, FS2, the Big Ten Network, Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Deportes and local Fox affiliates in 16 markets to Dish and Sling TV.
The channels were removed on September 26 when the two companies could not reach a new deal.
(This deal should not be confused with Dish’s carriage battle with the Fox regional sports channels, which actually are now owned by Sinclair. Dish and Sling TV have been without the regionals since July 26. The Dish-regional sports fight is part of a separate agreement, and the blackout continues.)
The fee fight had angered Dish and Sling customers, particularly sports fans who have been unable to watch college football and NFL games on Fox-owned channels.
Dish and Fox were fighting over how much the former should pay to carry the latter’s channels. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we worked to reach a long-term agreement that restores the Fox networks and local broadcast stations,” Dish said in a press release.
— Phillip Swann
