DirecTV Stream Price Increase and ABC/Disney Negotiation

How can Direct TV increase pricing in the midst of reducing the available content. Prices should be going down if I’m receiving less content. 

Both Direct TV and Disney disgust me with their obscene greed. Yet again residential consumers and small businesses get screwed so that millionaires can add to their wealth. 

Shame on all of you. 

I just received the email regarding the price increase also.  It is pretty sad that they are increasing prices when I am not even getting the channels that I am paying for.  The ABC/Disney dispute involves ALOT of channels that are part of my package that I have not had in a week and don't know that I will have.  I have tried to defend Direct TV thinking they are doing what is best for their customers, but their timing on increasing prices is very poor.  I will be looking at other alternatives.

The arrogance they have shown with this resulted in DIRECTV AND DIRECTV Stream losing a 30 year customer. Today they added a fourth step to just turning on my tv to watch it. I have to use a profile now. The power button is the first of 4 additional tasks I have perform JUST to turn the dang thing on and watch it. Now they want more money. 

DIRECTV has spit in my face for the last time. 

Leave the guide programming alone, give the ability to TURN OFF PROFILES and stop testing software on your customers!!! 

I totally agree with the consumer is the one that is at a loss every time this happens. Both DIRECTV and Disney should have had this negotiation settle before pulling the plug on the viewers. It's a leverage ploy by each - in the end, who is losing more money? My frustration level with negotiating teams has hit an all time high. I have lost my local FOX network 2 years ago, so I am not confident with DIRECTV doing anything in short order to get these channels back soon or totally loss. I am waiting optimistically because I hate switching over to new provider or options, but I will cancel due to my monthly programming being unavailable before long. Maybe multiple cancelled customers will hurt their pocketbook a little. To hear that they are going to raise pricing in October is not good PR especially at this time. It's too high as it is.

@TXGRUMP 

Yes we (the consumer) are the ones who lose out. Not so much a leverage ploy by both though.

Disney pulling the feed (as is their right) leverages customers against the TV provider. They, and other network owners in similar situations, get the most benefit by doing this at a critical time for the viewer (such as sports). The TV provider (DirecTV this time) has to either cave to their demands for the increased rate which also feeds into our bills or continue negotiating to minimize any cost impact. Because of that, I say the TV provider (regardless of DirecTV or others) is not making a leverage ploy.

Each year the networks charge the TV providers more on top of any other costs going up. Naturally DirecTV like other companies has to follow suit. Their operating costs get higher then eventually so do our bills. The change in timing this year is unfortunate, but I doubt it has anything to do with Disney and is instead taking into account negotiations that had already completed.

Check www.directvpromise.com for the most current status on any carriage negotiations that are affecting customers as well as see about any courtesy credit that may be offered. While waiting there are alternative options to use in the meantime, including YouTube TV which has recently been running a 21 day free trial.

This is the power the House of Mouse holds over all the TV providers. I wonder who they will go after next.

Bad faith business by DTV.  I am trying to cancel and they are trying to charge a $350 early termination.  Loss of content, price increase- holding us to contracts that should not be valid?  Wow.

Tomorrow is billing day. I added youtubetv free 21 day trial to watch ABC/ESPN

I have 12 hours to make a decision, but will lose my recorded shows. The benefit is saving 85 dollars for Sept/Oct

@JUNIPER Per Variety Magazine Disney took offense to DirecTV badmouthing Disney.  LITTLE BOYS PLAYING LITTLE BOY GAMES.        'DirecTV also contends that Disney is using its corporate leverage in a heavy handed way to force DirecTV to waive future claims that “Disney’s behavior is anti-competitive.” That’s a regulatory buzzword designed to pique the interest of D.C. watchdogs in this now highly public business dispute. Disney and its two large partners in the Venu streaming sports bundle venture — Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Corp. — are already in the thick of litigation over the proposed sports service. A judge earlier this month issued a temporary injunction blocking the service from launching amid antitrust claims made by independent sports outfit Fubo in a federal lawsuit filed in February.

In its lengthy press statement on Sunday, DirecTV flatly stated: “Disney demanded that to reach any licensing agreement or to extend access to its programming, DirecTV must agree to waive all claims that Disney’s behavior is anti-competitive. Moreover, any future lawsuits resulting from DirecTV/Disney licensing agreements would be adjudicated in California – and not New York – because – as Disney counsel specifically stated – SDNY Judge Garnett “didn’t understand the issues” when granting a preliminary injunction against Disney’s Venu Sports. Disney’s last-minute demands to foreclose upon any legal accountability for its growing pattern of anti-competitive actions should be troubling to all pro-consumer advocacy groups, regulators, and Department of Justice attorneys alike.”

I like others agree this is Disney being criminal mostly, but am starting to think we'll have no choice but to switch away to Youtube TV or some other streaming service to get this resolved. The price increase right now really makes you wonder if anyone at DirecTV is paying attention to the news about their own company.. Don't throw salt onto your customers' wounds and then expect them to remain sympathetic and not cancel while you work out this battle. 

@cspikewoods 

Terms of Service state that channels may change at any time. They cannot guarantee specific channels because they don't own them. All TV providers have a similar clause.

As such your service agreement and associated ECF remain valid.