Just in time for Monday Night Football, the Walt Disney Company (DIS) will return its content to customers of Charter Communications’ Spectrum cable video service, ending a 1𝔍0-day standoff that saw impacted viewers lose access to ESPN and other꧂ Disney channels.

The deal ends a standoff that began on Sept. 1, when 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Disney pulled its programming from Spectrum, just as football season began. Charter (CHTR) had argued during negotiations that Disney was char🐲ging a large amount of money for broadcast channels and moving all o🦋f its quality content to its streaming services.

In addition to having all Disney content restored to Spectrum cable systems, Spectrum customers will also get access to other Disney 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:streaming services, depending on their subscription tiers.

For instance, subscribers to the Spectrum TV Select package will get access to the Disney + Basic ad-supported platform, and later to ESPN’s direct-to-consumer platform once it launches. Spectrum TV Select Plus subscribers will get access to ESPN+ as part of the deal. Charter will also maintain some pricing flexibility.

Charter will offer Disney’s direct-to-consumer services, which include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, to Spectrum’s large broadband-only customer base. Additionally, both companies said they would work to cut down on password sharing.

Dispute Centered on Access to New Stꦬreaming Products

In the discussions, Charter said that the standoff 澳洲幸运5官꧋方开奖结果体彩网:wasn’t the standard “carriage” dispute where broadcasters negotiate with cable providers over how much to pay to carry 𒆙the programming. This 𝄹time, Charter said, the issue was over how “linear” TV broadcasters, like Disney’s ABC network, and cable programmers manage the shift towards streaming and direct-to-customer (DTC) programming. 

“For the last decade, linear video subscription services have been in decline, fueled by the migration of valuable programming to (direct-to-consumer) DTC options coupled with a vicious cycle of programming cost increases and subscriber losses,” Charter said in a statement during negotiations.

Specifically, Charter pointed to Disney’s services, like Disney+, where subscribers could get content that’s not available to Spectrum subscribers. 

“They alsoဣ want to require customers to pay twice to get content apps with the linear video they have already paid for,ꩲ” Charter said. 

Disney responded that demanding their direct-to-customer services for free “does not make economic sense.”

“Moreover, it does not make sense for consumers who desire the flexibility to have our🍎 streaming platforms as stand-alone sꦇervices,” Disney said in a statement.

With a deal reached, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Charter CEO Chris Winfrey said the result helps pave the way for an "innovative model" for future content delivery.

"This deal recognizes both the continued value of linear television and the growing popularity of streaming services, while addressing the evolving needs of our consumers," the two said in a joint statement.