– Spectrum and ESPN facing cable blackout amidst carriage dispute
– ESPN is advising customers to switch to alternative providers/solutions
– The dispute is a result of a failed agreement between ESPN’s parent company, Disney, and Charter Communications
Spectrum and ESPN are currently experiencing a cable blackout due to an ongoing carriage dispute that has yet to be resolved. ESPN is advising customers to consider looking into alternative providers or solutions to watch their content as the dispute continues, potentially affecting millions of viewers.
The disagreement stems from a failed agreement between ESPN’s parent company, Disney, and Charter Communications, which operates Spectrum. The two entities were unable to come to terms with the renewal of their carriage agreement, leading to the current blackout situation.
As a result of the stalemate, Spectrum has had to drop ESPN, making it difficult for cable customers to watch the channel and access content. ESPN released a statement saying, “Due to a shortened renewal window and despite Spectrum’s best efforts, Spectrum is unable to carry ESPN.”
ESPN’s FAQ webpage advises customers to consider switching to satellite, telco, or online service providers if the issue persists. The webpage states, “Please tell your provider that you don’t want to lose ESPN and other Disney channels. You might want to look into providers like DirecTV, Dish Network, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Google Fiber, Hulu Live or YouTube TV as a way to watch ESPN online.”