US media giant Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is taking Sling TV, the over-the-top service owned by TV carrier Dish’s parent company Echostar, to court over its short-term live broadcast packages.
Sling, which allows users to stream live TV, recently introduced passes offering access to its full bundle for a day, weekend, or full week, something WBD alleges violates the terms of the pair’s carriage deal.
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In the legal complaint, filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, WBD has stated that the ‘passes’ “violate both the plain language of the Dish affiliation agreements and the longstanding industry practice of offering television content through monthly subscription services,” adding that the bundles “undermine programmers’ business model, which depends on monthly subscriptions.”
While Sling’s services usually start at $45.99 a month, the new system includes a $4.99 day pass for 24 hours, a $9.99 Weekend Pass, and a $14.99 7-day pass. They were rolled out at the start of the college football and NFL seasons.
WBD further alleges that Sling TV launched the short-term passes without any consultation, and yet explicitly advertises WBD networks as part of the bundles.
The media giant has also reportedly said that it is hoping for an “amicable” resolution to the dispute, likely eager to avoid its own iteration of the breakdown in relations and subsequent blackout of Disney-owned channels on TV carrier DirecTV that plagued 2024.
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By GlobalDataFor its part, an Echostar statement appeared unrepentant, with the firm saying: “Sling TV has broken the mold of expensive, rigid bundles with flexible Sling Orange Day, Weekend and Week Pass subscriptions – pay-as-you-want instant access.
“This customer-first model challenges the old guard’s outdated pricing playbook, exposing their dependence on market power and resistance to change. With no long-term contracts and lower costs, Sling puts control back in the hands of subscribers, signaling a shift toward competition that puts consumer value ahead of monopolistic control.”
WBD is not the only media heavyweight that has taken issue with the practice; in fact, Disney has already launched a suit against Sling (also with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York), once again claiming it was not consulted about the offering.
In a statement, Disney told outlet Deadline: “Sling TV’s new offerings, which they made available without our knowledge or consent, violate the terms of our existing license agreement. We have asked the court to require Dish to comply with our deal when it distributes our programming.”
Sling subsequently made a statement to Deadline that it will “vigorously defend our right to bring customers a viewing experience that fits their lives, on their schedule and on their terms” and described Disney’s lawsuit as “meritless."
The company added that its new passes were “designed to redefine streaming and give viewers more flexibility, more choice and more control over how they watch live TV.”
