Warner Bros Joins Disney In Suing Sling TV For Making Streaming Video Cheaper And More Convenient
from the this-is-why-we-can't-have-nice-things dept
Earlier this month we noted how Disney and ESPN had sued Sling TV for the cardinal sin of actually trying to innovate. Sling TV’s offense: releasing new, more convenient day, weekend, or week-long shorter term streaming subscriptions that provided an affordable way to watch live television.
These mini-subscriptions, starting at around $5, have already proven to be pretty popular. But, of course, it challenges the traditional cable TV model of getting folks locked into recurring (and expensive) monthly subscriptions. Subscriptions that often mandate that you include sports programming many people simply don’t want to pay for.
So of course Time Warner has now filed a second lawsuit (sealed, 1:25-mc-00381) accusing Dish Network of breach of contract. In the complaint, Warner Bros lawyer David Yohai argues that this kind of convenience simply cannot be allowed:
“The passes fundamentally disrupt this industry-standard model by allowing customers to purchase access to the most sought-after programming, such as major sports events, essentially a la carte for a fraction of the cost that the consumer would have had to pay to watch the event on a pay-per-view basis. For example, a sports fan could simply purchase a day pass and watch select programming, such as a highly popular sports game, without purchasing a month-long subscription or paying a higher pay-per-view fee.”
Not disruption and convenience!
Like Disney and ESPN’s lawsuit, Warner Bros’ lawsuit says that the mini-subscriptions violate existing carriage fee agreements struck between cable channels and cable, satellite, and internet TV providers. SlingTV, increasingly desperate to stay relevant and viable in the wake of Dish Networks slow-motion implosion, continues to insist the lawsuits are “meritless.”
Filed Under: cable tv, competition, prices, sports, streaming, subscriptions, television, video
Companies: dish network, disney, espn, sling, warner bros. discovery
Comments on “Warner Bros Joins Disney In Suing Sling TV For Making Streaming Video Cheaper And More Convenient”
“customers are only allowed to be fucked over, no lube” – warner bros
I guess that WDB could have not made a better advertising for Sling TV.
It’s weird reading this as a supposed criticism and basis for a lawsuit. The description makes it sound like a cash-cow.
Everybody thinks they can just say the quiet part out loud now. And broadcast it.
When you can’t innovate, litigate! It’s the American way!
Honesty
At least we now have an example of these company’s thinking. How dare anyone consider the consumer! The consumer is only there to service US!
Boo hoo
Cable companies have ratcheted their prices up without end and have you paying for endless commercials and lousy filler content no one values or watches. Waah. Now Sling has come up with a path forward. I’m not about to shed a single tear for Disney or any other cable company