Spectrum and Disney battled it, and ultimately the carriage agreement for Spectrum to offer Disney-owned channels expired on Thursday, August 31. The disagreement led to the channels, including ESPN, SEC Network, and ACC Network going dark for Spectrum customers.
The full list of channels impacted are:
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN Deportes
- ESPNU
- ESPN News
- SEC Network
- ACC Network
- Longhorn Network
- FX
- FX Movie Channel
- FXX
- Freeform
- National Geographic
- Nat Geo Wild
- Nat Geo Mundo
- Disney Channel
- Disney Junior
- Disney XD
- Baby TV
The following local ABC stations were also impacted:
- ABC7 Chicago
- ABC7 Los Angeles
- ABC7 New York
- ABC7 San Francisco
- ABC11 Raleigh-Durham
- ABC13 Houston
- ABC30 Fresno
Spectrum cited the “rising cost of programming” as the reason for the disagreement, blaming Disney for the higher rates in a statement.
If you’re a Spectrum customer looking for alternatives to continue watching programming on Disney-owned channels, there are plenty of other options. For those who are ready to cut the cord or who are looking for a short-term solution in hopes of Spectrum bringing the channels back, several streaming services will give you access to the channels listed above.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM starts at $79.99 per month for over 75 channels. The entry-level package includes ESPN and ESPN2. Adding the Sports Pack add-on will give users access to ACC Network, SEC Network, and more sports channels for an extra $15 per month. DIRECTV STREAM has a five-day free trial to test out the service before committing to a monthly subscription.
Fubo
Fubo also starts at $74.99, and the base package includes ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, SEC Network, and the Big Ten Network. The Sports Plus add-on adds Pac-12 Network and more sports channels to the lineup. Fubo offers a free trial before subscribing.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu, also owned by Disney, includes most of the channels in jeopardy of being dropped by Spectrum. The base package costs $76.99 and includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Big Ten Network, ACC Network, and SEC Network. Hulu + Live TV subscribers also get access to ESPN Plus for more sports content.
Sling TV
The most affordable option on our list, Sling TV carries ESPN in its Orange plan for $40 per month. Adding the Sports Extra add-on will give users access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and more sports channels.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Big Ten Network, ACC Network, and SEC Network in its basic channel lineup. The plan costs $72.99 per month.
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