DirecTV and Disney Offer Dueling Discounts as Carriage Dispute War of Words Escalates

It takes a lot for a pay TV service to subsidize its own customers if they want to sample a competitor, but in a surprise move, DirecTV will do just that.

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With the carriage dispute between Disney and DirecTV dragging on, leaving Disney channels like ABC, ESPN and FX dark for millions of subscribers, the two sides are beginning to tell the satellite TV company’s customers about their options, lest they miss the U.S. Open or college football this weekend.

And, notably, DirecTV is actually working with and directing customers to two of its streaming competitors: Dish’s Sling TV and Fubo, and offering to toss in $30 to help subsidize the switch. In a blog post Friday afternoon, DirecTV offered to “get your football back on us.”

Customers who sign up for Fubo will get a one-week free trial, $30 off the first month after the trial, and a $30 credit on their next DirecTV bill; if they choose to subscribe to Sling Orange, they will get a $10 discount and a $30 credit on their DirecTV bill.

“This is a small way to help you stay connected to your sports and entertainment while we work with Disney to reach a new agreement,” the company writes.

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Disney, meanwhile, has been publishing messages to its customers on its networks and social handles about their options. “Hey DirecTV subscribers! Missing your favorite ABC and ESPN programming? No need to worry,” the company says, before listing off a bevy of options, including local cable companies, as well as Fubo, Sling and YouTube TV. It also references Hulu With Live TV, which Disney owns, and notes that “ABC is also available free over the air.”

And later on Friday, Hulu announced a special deal of its own: $30 off any Hulu With Live TV plan, only available through Sept. 11. While the Hulu offer notably did not mention DirecTV at all (“Hulu is offering a promotion just in time for fan-favorite sports and the Fall TV seasons,” it said), it is hard to ignore the timing of the discount, and the relatively brief window of availability.

The offers are a new level of hardball between the companies, and suggest that there is a chance talks will drag on past the kickoff of ESPN’s Monday Night Football in just a few days.

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