When does the contract with Disney/ABC and Direct TV expire?

16038 Views 74 Replies 28 Participants Last post by SomeRandomIdiot, Nov 5, 2014

dxtrfn80

Discussion Starter · Jul 12, 2012

With the Viacom-DTV war in full swing makes me wonder when does the deal with Disney/ABC expire? Would be a huge story if the rest of the kids channels. (not all of them but would be left with Cartoon Network, HUB, PBS Sprout) I just hope the deal expires in 2015 or later.

1 - 20 of 75 Posts

snappjay

· #2 · Jul 12, 2012

Let's be honest. Disney can ask for any amount of money they want with as many channels they want because of one thing... ESPN.

Most people know DTV as the "sports" provider. They would go completely under without the ESPNs.

"DirecTV, we have this new channel that plays Disney animation classics 24/7 and you are going to pay us $0.25 per sub"

"What?? No!"

"Well fine, say goodbye to ESPN"

"... fine, put it on our tab"

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alnielsen

· #3 · Jul 12, 2012

Move ESPN's into the sports package and save the rest of us $5-6 a month.
Yep, I know it isn't going to happen, but I can dream.

tonyd79

· #4 · Jul 12, 2012

"snappjay" said:
Let's be honest. Disney can ask for any amount of money they want with as many channels they want because of one thing... ESPN.

Most people know DTV as the "sports" provider. They would go completely under without the ESPNs.

"DirecTV, we have this new channel that plays Disney animation classics 24/7 and you are going to pay us $0.25 per sub"

"What?? No!"

"Well fine, say goodbye to ESPN"

"... fine, put it on our tab"

Not just with directv, either. With everyone. Directv maybe more than others. But a system without espn would not survive.

dpeters11

· #5 · Jul 12, 2012

"snappjay" said:
Let's be honest. Disney can ask for any amount of money they want with as many channels they want because of one thing... ESPN.

Most people know DTV as the "sports" provider. They would go completely under without the ESPNs.

"DirecTV, we have this new channel that plays Disney animation classics 24/7 and you are going to pay us $0.25 per sub"

"What?? No!"

"Well fine, say goodbye to ESPN"

"... fine, put it on our tab"

I'd actually like that channel. Kind of like with Viacom, one mans trash channel is another's interest.

maartena

· #6 · Jul 12, 2012

What I know is that ESPN and all other ABC/Disney owned stations are 2 different contracts. I don't know about when ESPN was last renewed, but the last standoff between DirecTV and Disney over all the other channels was in March 2003. Now, if they signed a 10 year deal at the time, it would mean 2013.

I also know the Discovery Network contracts are due to expire by the end of the year, so we'll see some action there as well.

Of course, if a contract was re-negotiated between two parties well before the due date, it may not have been made public other then in some boring investor relation portfolio for their shareholders.

boufa

· #7 · Jul 13, 2012

When did ESPN classic and ESPNU change packages? I think that was from the new ESPN contract.

boukengreen

· #8 · Jul 13, 2012

boufa said:
When did ESPN classic and ESPNU change packages? I think that was from the new ESPN contract.

sometime last year i think

snappjay

· #9 · Jul 16, 2012

since this thing with viacom, my wife and I decided to do a simple, non scientific calculation on how many hours we watch a specific channel or a grouping of channels. The % works out to...

ESPN (1, 2, U, news, etc)
40% (this number goes to, at least, 70% in the fall)
Disney Channel (for the kid)
20%
Fox Sports Ohio/Cincinnati
20% (goes to zero in the fall)
Locals
10% (goes up to 20% in the fall)
Speed
5% (zero in the fall)
MLB Network (NFL Channel in the fall)
5%

As you can see, if Disney or Newscorp pulled out of DTV, especially during football season, we would have to cancel and move on to one of our other options (dish :nono2

r cable:nono

.

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iceman2a

· #10 · Jul 16, 2012

snappjay said:
since this thing with viacom, my wife and I decided to do a simple, non scientific calculation on how many hours we watch a specific channel or a grouping of channels. The % works out to...

ESPN (1, 2, U, news, etc)
40% (this number goes to, at least, 70% in the fall)
Disney Channel (for the kid)
20%
Fox Sports Ohio/Cincinnati
20% (goes to zero in the fall)
Locals
10% (goes up to 20% in the fall)
Speed
5% (zero in the fall)
MLB Network (NFL Channel in the fall)
5%

As you can see, if Disney or Newscorp pulled out of DTV, especially during football season, we would have to cancel and move on to one of our other options (dish :nono2r cable:nono.

What content does ESPN carry during football season that makes it a must have?
There is "nothing" on ESPN that I can't get somewherelse except MNF and that is not enough for me to change providers and my primary viewing is sports!

tonyd79

· #11 · Jul 16, 2012

"iceman2a" said:
What content does ESPN carry during football season that makes it a must have?
There is "nothing" on ESPN that I can't get somewherelse except MNF and that is not enough for me to change providers and my primary viewing is sports!

College football?

iceman2a

· #12 · Jul 16, 2012

tonyd79 said:
College football?

OK, got me there!
I know in many places college football is more popular than the NFL but wasn't even thinking that way!

Now here is another question, is ESPN's college football subscription pkg. negotiated within ESPN's carry agrement or is it a seperate negotiation????

fleckrj

· #13 · Jul 16, 2012

iceman2a said:
OK, got me there!
I know in many places college football is more popular than the NFL but wasn't even thinking that way!

Now here is another question, is ESPN's college football subscription pkg. negotiated within ESPN's carry agrement or is it a seperate negotiation????

ESPN signed a 15 year deal with the SEC in 2008 and a separate deal with the ACC that lasts until 2027. In much of the country, SEC football and ACC (plus Kentucky and a few other SEC schools) basketball are bigger draws than the NFL or NBA.

510207

· #14 · Jul 18, 2012

Maybe someone smarter than me can answer this question: Does DTV have to pay per sub, regardless of whether they have a package including said channel, or is it only per sub that actually has a package with the channel. Always been curious on that one.

tonyd79

· #15 · Jul 18, 2012

"Traegon" said:
Maybe someone smarter than me can answer this question: Does DTV have to pay per sub, regardless of whether they have a package including said channel, or is it only per sub that actually has a package with the channel. Always been curious on that one.

Typically the latter.

tonyd79

· #16 · Jul 18, 2012

"iceman2a" said:
OK, got me there!
I know in many places college football is more popular than the NFL but wasn't even thinking that way!

Now here is another question, is ESPN's college football subscription pkg. negotiated within ESPN's carry agrement or is it a seperate negotiation????

Pretty sure it is separate.

NR4P

· #17 · Jul 19, 2012

Regarding ABC, consider this on the airlines.
I can't recall seeing ABC on Jet Blue or Delta or United. But they carry ABC FAM and about 5 ESPN channels. So the airlines buckle under and accept ESPN without the ABC network feed.

So ABC gives up the prime time shows to CBS, NBC and FOX for ESPN and ABC FAM. That sort of sums up the ESPN power doesn't it?

snappjay

· #18 · Jul 19, 2012

iceman2a said:
OK, got me there!
I know in many places college football is more popular than the NFL but wasn't even thinking that way!

Now here is another question, is ESPN's college football subscription pkg. negotiated within ESPN's carry agrement or is it a seperate negotiation????

Well, I should have put Big10 in there somewhere. My wife is from Wisconsin, so she sets up camp right in front of the TV until the spring.

Old_School

· #19 · Jul 19, 2012

What channel is ESPN even on???

AMike

· #20 · Oct 8, 2014

Sorry to bring up this old thread, but it is relevant. Based on this article from 2005, the ESPN contract should have expired in September, so I'm sure there is some good faith bargaining taking place without threats of channel removals.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2005/01/20050124/This-Weeks-Issue/Directv-ESPN-Sign-For-10-Years.aspx

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