Disney Sues Sling TV for Distribution Agreement Violations...

Walt Disney Co. filed a lawsuit against Sling TV Tuesday night over the pay-TV service’s short-term mini-bundle packages, which Disney claims were included in its network without permission. Sling debuted the passes in mid-August, and the mini-bundles offer access to the streaming service’s full bundle for a set period of time: one day, weekend, or a full week. The mini-bundles begin at $4.99 — and a full Sling subscription is $45/month. “Sling TV’s new offerings, which they made available without our knowledge or consent, violate the terms of our existing license agreement,” a Disney representative said in a statement. “We have asked the court to require Dish to comply with our deal when it distributes our programming.” The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges Sling did not seek permission from Disney before folding in the mini-bundles. Disney’s current licensing agreement with Dish Network gives Sling TV and Dish TV customers access to programming by way of monthly subscriptions — according to Disney, a shorter-term plan like the mini-bundles run afoul of what’s allowed. The mini-bundles give Sling TV customers access to 34 channels in the Sling Orange tier, including ESPN, Disney Channel, TNT, ABC, and Food Network. Sling TV’s Day Pass is priced at $4.99 and good for 24 hours; customers can also choose between the $9.99 Weekend Pass and $14.99 Week Pass. More to come…