Disney files lawsuit against Sling TV over distribution agreement breaches.
Walt Disney Co. has filed a lawsuit against Sling TV over the streaming service’s short-term mini-bundle packages, which Disney claims were added without permission.
Sling launched the passes in mid-August, offering access to its full channel bundle for a limited period—one day, a weekend, or a week. Prices start at $4.99, while a standard Sling subscription costs $45 per month. Disney said the packages violate the terms of its existing license agreement. “Sling TV’s new offerings, which they made available without our knowledge or consent, violate the terms of our existing license agreement,” a Disney spokesperson said. “We have asked the court to require Dish to comply with our deal when it distributes our programming.”
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit claims Sling did not seek Disney’s approval before launching the mini-bundles. Under Disney’s current licensing agreement with Dish Network, Sling and Dish TV customers are entitled to programming through monthly subscriptions, and Disney contends that short-term passes are not permitted under the agreement.
The mini-bundles allow access to 34 channels in Sling’s Orange tier, including ESPN, Disney Channel, TNT, ABC, and Food Network. The Day Pass costs $4.99 for 24 hours, the Weekend Pass is $9.99, and the Week Pass is $14.99. Disney also said it was not consulted before the bundles went live and that Dish refused requests to remove Disney content after the launch.
The case, ESPN Enterprises, Inc. et al v. DISH Network, L.L.C., docket no. 1:25-MC-00368, has been filed under seal to protect sensitive information. An initial complaint had not been publicly filed as of Tuesday evening.
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