Overview

• Suing in the Southern District of New York, ESPN Enterprises accuses Dish of offering ESPN networks on a transactional basis through Sling Day, Weekend and Week Passes without consent.
• The complaint says ESPN learned of the passes from trade reports, objects to Sling’s Aug. 12 marketing touting “24 hours of football for $4.99,” and argues the model is inconsistent with the OTT license.
• ESPN asserts the passes devalue its programming and disrupt economics built on monthly subscriptions, citing events like the multi‑week U.S. Open as examples.
• The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, seeks to bar Dish from including Disney-owned channels in the short-term passes pending the outcome.
• Sling calls the lawsuit meritless, says it will vigorously defend the product, and continues to sell the Orange-tier passes priced at $4.99 for a day, $9.99 for a weekend and $14.99 for a week, which could also compete with ESPN’s ~$30 DTC service.