Did DirecTV settle with Disney? Latest news, updates on ESPN blackout disrupting NFL, college football games

The ESPN family of networks is a hub for college football and "Monday Night Football" in the fall and winter. For DirecTV users, the experience has been a nightmare this season.

All networks owned by Disney, including ESPN and ABC, went off the air on Sept. 1 amid a contract dispute. It's not uncommon for networks and providers to publicly battle during negotiations, but the spat continued longer than many football fans anticipated and interrupted both Week 2 of the college football season and the "Monday Night Football" opener for DirecTV users.

Even Tuesday's presidential debate, hosted by ABC, wasn't available on ABC for DirecTV users. The debate was simulcast on other major networks, but Disney encouraged DirecTV users to watch on a Disney streaming service instead.

When can fans expect ESPN's networks back on DirecTV? Here are the latest updates on the dispute and how you can watch ESPN without cable.

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Did DirecTV settle with Disney?

DirecTV has not yet settled its dispute with Disney, so the ESPN family of networks remains off the air for DirecTV users. The channels first went dark on Sept. 1.

Disney executives released a scathing statement targeting DirecTV when the dispute first affected viewers, explaining that Disney "will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs."

DirecTV quickly hit back and accused Disney of choosing "maximum profits" at the expense of consumers.

Disney publicly responded to specific accusations by DirecTV on Sept. 4, outlining the company's importance to DirecTV and claiming it has offered fair rates and new distribution packages.

The war of words is ongoing, but it has yet to produce a deal. DirecTV users weren't able to watch Week 2 college football games on ESPN networks, and "Monday Night Football" between the Jets and 49ers went unaired on DirecTV as well.

With more college football on tap on Saturday and another "Monday Night Football" matchup coming, DirecTV users are now at risk of missing another slate of games.

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When will DirecTV get ESPN back?

There is no timetable for ESPN's return to DirecTV. While the public relations battle between a network and a major provider often plays out publicly, it can be tough to gauge where negotiations actually stand.

Puck's John Ourand reported on Sept. 6 that he expected a deal to be ironed out by the following Monday. "The consensus among my best sources is that DirecTV and Disney will reach an agreement by early next week, probably before the Jets-49ers Monday Night Football game," Ourand said.

That didn't happen, of course. The report is an indication that expecting a deal in the near future isn't far-fetched, but the delay is a reminder that it's tough for anyone to get an accurate read on how close the two sides actually are.

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How to watch ESPN without DirecTV

While ESPN and DirecTV continue their standoff, there are other ways for DirecTV customers to watch the network.

Fubo carries the entire ESPN family of networks, so you'll be covered for all of the NFL's 2024 contests with that service. It offers a free trial for users in the United States.

Hulu + Live TV is another available streaming platform. It is the only one that includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN.

In addition, other streaming options that carry ESPN are Sling TV and YouTube TV.