DISH vs Sky

DISH Teams Up with United Airlines to Provide Live Football at 35,000 Feet

Passengers on United airplanes with Starlink-enabled seatback screens have access to live college and pro football games starting this week across ...

Sling TV's Future Uncertain After DISH Bankruptcy Filing

Sling TV — one of the first over‑the‑top live multichannel services, launched February 9, 2015 — faces an uncertain future after its parent’s prepackaged Chapter 11 filing. DISH DBS Corporation (an EchoStar subsidiary) filed for Chapter 11 on June 30, 2026 after a delay in closing a large spectrum sale to AT&T left the company short of cash to repay $2 billion in notes. Sling peaked near 2.6 million subscribers around 2020 but reported 1.707 million subscribers as of the end of June 2026. The restructuring aims to clean the balance sheet and wind down DISH’s wireless build; industry observers expect EchoStar may consider selling or spinning off DISH satellite and Sling assets once the process concludes.

• Sling TV launched on February 9, 2015 as an over‑the‑top live multichannel television service in the U.S.
• Sling reported 1.707 million subscribers as of the end of June 2026, down from a peak near 2.6 million around 2020.
• On June 30, 2026, DISH DBS Corporation (an EchoStar subsidiary) filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 case in Houston.

Dish May Lose Hearst Local Channels Tonight

Dish and Hearst Television Inc. face a retransmission consent renewal deadline on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET; if they fail to reach an agreement, Dish customers could lose Hearst-owned local affiliates carrying ABC, NBC, CBS and The CW in multiple U.S. markets. The article lists many affected local stations and markets and notes a similar 2023 dispute produced a two-month blackout. The piece also references that Dish filed for bankruptcy on June 30, 2026, while stating the company says it is operating as usual during the process.

• Dish faces a retransmission consent renewal deadline with Hearst Television Inc. on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
• If no deal is reached, Dish customers could lose Hearst-owned local channels including ABC, NBC, CBS, and The CW in multiple U.S. markets.
• A 2023 renegotiation between Dish and Hearst previously resulted in a two-month blackout.

Consumer Protection Group Sues Netflix, Sky, Apple TV+ Over Price Hikes

The Austrian consumer protection association VSV (Verbraucherschutzverein) has announced class-action lawsuits against streaming services Netflix, Apple TV, and Sky's streaming service Wow over unilateral price increases. The VSV claims these companies raised prices for existing subscribers multiple times, relying on price adjustment clauses in their terms of service without obtaining separate consent from customers, which the association deems unfair and invalid. The VSV seeks reimbursements between 200 and 700 euros per affected customer and is partnering with a Berlin law firm and a litigation funder, who will receive a 9.9% cut of any proceeds. Sky confirmed the lawsuit is under review, while Netflix stated that the lawsuit has not yet been served and emphasized that it did not rely on such clauses in Germany, instead obtaining explicit consent from customers. This legal action follows similar past cases against DAZN and Prime Video.

• Consumer protection group VSV announced class-action lawsuits against Netflix, Apple TV, and Sky's Wow over price increases.
• VSV alleges price increases on existing subscriptions relied on unfair price adjustment clauses without separate customer consent.
• VSV seeks refunds of 200-700 euros per affected customer.

Formula 1 Scores Strong Ratings, NFL Struggles on RTL

On Sunday, RTL's Formula 1 broadcast outperformed its NFL coverage, drawing 1.49 million viewers and a 16.7% audience share among 14-49 year-olds for the Spanish Grand Prix. Sky's F1 coverage also performed well, with 17.3% share. In contrast, the NFL season opener between the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans attracted only 350,000 viewers for the first quarter, with a 5.7% share in the target demographic. Ratings improved slightly later in the game but remained below RTL's average. The NFL also aired a German-language conference on Nitro, drawing 190,000 viewers. Data sourced from AGF Videoforschung.

• RTL's Formula 1 broadcast of the Spanish Grand Prix reached 1.49 million viewers and a 16.7% market share among 14-49 year-olds.
• Sky Sport F1 achieved a 17.3% market share in the same demographic, slightly higher than RTL.
• NFL season opener on RTL attracted only 350,000 viewers for the first quarter, with a 5.7% share among 14-49 year-olds.

Vodafone and BVB AI‑recreate 1963 Bundesliga Goal

Published by HORIZONT on August 29, 2026, Vodafone, Borussia Dortmund (BVB), and creative agency Jung von Matt have launched an AI-driven campaign titled 'The Unseen Goal' to reconstruct the Bundesliga's first-ever goal, scored in 1963 by Timo Konietzka. Since no original video or photographic footage of the historic moment exists, the team generated the moving images using artificial intelligence, leveraging historical media reports, weather simulation models, and interviews with eyewitnesses, including the scorer's brother. The reconstructed video debuted via a documentary at the BVB museum, on Sky Sports News, and on the YouTube channels of BVB and Vodafone. It was also shown on stadium screens during Dortmund's season opener. The campaign will continue to run across digital platforms, social media, print, and soccer podcasts in Germany, with Sky serving as the exclusive media partner.

• Vodafone, Borussia Dortmund (BVB), and agency Jung von Matt launched 'The Unseen Goal' campaign to reconstruct the first-ever Bundesliga goal from 1963 using AI.
• The historic goal by Timo Konietzka had no existing photographic or video records prior to this project.
• The creative team utilized eyewitness accounts, weather simulation models, and archive records to accurately generate the moving images.