Sling TV Wins First Round in legal Dispute wiht Disney

Sling TV has won the first stage of a legal battle with Disney over the short-term passes that the streaming service introduced in August. The Dish Network-owned platform started offering daily ($5), weekend ($10) and weekly ($15) passes for its Sling Orange plan, wich costs $46 on a monthly basis.

Disney owns several channels that are offered through Sling TV platforms, including multiple ESPN channels and the Disney Channel.It did not take kindly to the new offerings – Disney promptly filed a lawsuit over the short-term live TV passes, as well as an emergency request to halt them. As reported by Cord Cutters, US District Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed the latter motion after determining Disney failed to demonstrate “it would suffer irreparable harm” without the court’s immediate intervention.

“Disney hasn’t shown it has lost customers due to Sling TV’s short-term passes,” the judge stated.This initial victory allows Sling TV to continue offering these passes while the larger lawsuit proceeds.

Disney argued that sling TV’s passes devalue its content and disrupt the traditional pay-TV ecosystem. Sling TV countered that the passes provide more flexible and affordable access to live television, attracting customers who might not otherwise subscribe to a full monthly plan.

Key Takeaways

• Sling TV is currently allowed to continue offering its daily, weekend, and weekly passes.
• A US District Judge dismissed Disney’s request for an immediate halt to the passes, finding Disney didn’t prove irreparable harm.
• The core lawsuit regarding the long-term impact of these passes is still ongoing.
• Disney believes the passes devalue its content, while Sling TV argues they increase accessibility.

Sling TV celebrated the initial win by offering one-day passes for ESPN, highlighting the accessibility the passes provide to sports fans.