Spectrum TV vs. Disney: How to Watch ESPN & Disney For a Month For Free!

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman

TV Answer Man, we are Jets fans and we are getting big time worried that we will miss the Monday Night Football game against the Bills on ESPN. This is Aaron Rodgers’ first game. We can not miss it but if Disney and Spectrum don’t make a deal, we are screwed big time! — Marvin, New York.
Marvin, you are not alone in your concern. Charter’s Spectrum TV subscribers have been without 26 Disney-owned channels since last Thursday night due to a carriage dispute. The list of missing nets includes ESPN and the ABC affiliates in seven markets, among others. The blackout is particularly unsettling to sports fans now because ESPN is home to the U.S. Open tennis tournament, college football action and the NFL’s Monday Night Football. The New York Jets and new QB1 Aaron Rodgers will play the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen this Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. Adding insult to injury for New York area fans, ABC will also show the game but the local affiliate is owned by Disney so it’s blacked out, too! At least in other Spectrum markets where Disney doesn’t own the local ABC affiliate, subscribers will be able to see the game.

So what can you do about this? Is there a way to watch ESPN — and all the Disney channels, including ABC — without having to spend more money? Answer: Yes. In fact, we have a way that you could watch the entire suite of Disney channels for the next month without paying a dime. That would cover you in case the dispute goes that long. Here’s how to do it:

YouTube TV, which carries ESPN, ABC and the other Disney channels, has been offering three-week free trials to new subscribers. As we noted in this article, it appears that not everyone is offered the 21-day freebie. For example, as a former user of YouTube TV’s free trial, I could not get the free three weeks. In fact, I couldn’t get any free trial. Other people on social media have said they only were offered a seven-day free trial. But numerous people on social media say they have received 21 days for free. Bottom line: Give it a try.

If you get the 21-day free trial, be sure to cancel before it’s over so you’re not charged. And when it ends, hop on over to DIRECTV Stream which has a 5-day free trial for new subscribers and returning customers who have not subscribed in the last 12 months. Like YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream has ESPN, ABC and the other Disney-owned channels. When the DIRECTV Stream trial is over (and you’ve cancelled), get your butt over to Fubo which currently has a seven-day free trial, and carries all the Disney channels including ESPN. After signing up for Fubo’s free trial, pat yourself on the back because you’ve now received 33 days of free ESPN, ABC and Disney.

Marvin, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

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