Overview

• Disney filed a federal suit late Tuesday in the Southern District of New York to block Sling’s Day, Weekend and Week Passes from carrying Disney-owned networks.
• The case was moved to be filed under seal and seeks a court order requiring removal of Disney channels from the short-term packages.
• Sling calls the lawsuit meritless and says it will vigorously defend the passes, which grant Sling Orange access — including ESPN — for $4.99 (day), $9.99 (weekend) and $14.99 (week).
• Disney says Dish launched the passes without prior notice and refused a request to remove Disney content, while programming remains available on Sling’s regular monthly tiers.
• The dispute could set a precedent on whether carriage deals limited to monthly access bar ultra-short subscriptions that may undercut ESPN’s new $29.99-per-month direct-to-consumer service.