Sling TV and DIRECTV Stream are both targeting YouTube TV subscribers angry over losing Disney and ESPN with pitches designed to persuade them to switch services.
Update: Disney & YouTube TV Sign New Deal; Blackout Over
YouTube TV, the multi-channel, live streaming service, early Saturday morning lost 17 Disney-owned channels due to a fight over carriage fees. The list of affected channels includes ESPN, FX, Freeform, National Geographic, the Disney Channel and eight Disney-owned ABC stations, among others.
DIRECTV Stream, one of YouTube TV’s main rivals, yesterday began offering $10 off the first month of service as part of a promotion for the 2021-22 college football bowl season. YouTube TV subscribers are now unable to watch ESPN which has the broadcast rights to 37 bowl games this season, starting with seven yesterday. DIRECTV Stream carries ESPN and other Disney-owned channels.
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“Limited time. Take $10 off your first month and enjoy 40+ College Football Bowl Games. Start streaming instantly,” reads a new banner atop the DIRECTV Stream web site.
In the fine print, DIRECTV Stream notes that prices for most packages will rise from $5-10 a month starting January 23, 2022.
Sling TV, the live streamer owned by Dish, is not offering a new price reduction to lure disaffected YouTube TV subscribers. (Sling already offers its first month of service for $10, a $25 reduction.) But the service has posted a direct appeal to get them to switch.
“Looking for Disney and ESPN channels?” reads a new blurb on the Sling home page. “Some carriers are losing access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 (sports on ABC are also streaming on ESPN3), ESPNU, ESPNews, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXX, FXM, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, SEC Network and ACC Network. Fortunately, Sling customers get access to all of these channels — take a look at our channel lineups below for more information.”
Sling TV carries ESPN in its base Orange plan, which is $35 a month with the first month for $10.
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YouTube TV yesterday made its own pitch to keep subscribers from defecting by dropping its base price from $64.99 a month to $49.99 for the duration of the blackout.
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I signed up for a FUBO free trial yesterday and I am pleasantly surprised. Even if YTTV and Disney reach an agreement, I may not be going back. Probably going to suspend my account with them as soon as tonight before our next bill that is due to be paid in a few days. FUBO seems to have done some work since I last tried the service. The beauty is that we can bounce back and forth between these streamers because there is no contract.
Not that I’m shedding any tears for Google, but they have zero leverage for YTTV here. Anyone blaming them and thinking they’ll fix their viewing problems by switching providers is running a fool’s errand. When the contracts come due for Fubo, Sling, DTVS, etc., they’ll get the same squeeze. The play here is obvious. Disney pushing all of this content to their own in-stable platforms, including Hulu, so that they can control the streaming marketplace.
I have no issue switching providers. I have been following the TV industry for many years. I know how it works. Why should I deprive myself of watching Disney owned channels while they “work it out” ? I am not blaming anyone. In fact, I support the providers because when it comes to contract time the network owners always want more and more and more !
ANY that have EVER had ANY service fro mthe now cancer of AT&T FULL WELL KNOW there has and NEVER will be any “deals” for that soon to disappear service.
AT&T and “DIRECTV’S “PEE” stream” are in total shambles and with ALL the OTHER services out there they HAVE ZERO CHANCE of survival WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY RAISING YOUR RATEevery single year (OR, MORE OFTEN as needed).The MORE they do that the FASTER and MORE COMPLETELY they WILL disappear.The “competition “FULL WELL KNOWS this and is more then happy to absorb any that come their way.
Now as far as SPORTS go on ANY SERVICE, SPORTS CASTING is THE MOST EXPENSIVE product to produce. IT ALSO has a FAST SHRINKING audience. THAT combo means almost certain DEATH or at the the LEAST DRASTIC REDUCTION in game availability…SIMPLE math for the EVER AGING SPORTS CLOWNS !!