Observed Signal · Feb 25, 2026 · Lawsuit · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Disney Sues Sling TV Over Pay-Per-Day Passes
Disney has filed a lawsuit against Sling TV alleging that Sling’s new short-term streaming passes (daily/weekly access to channels like ESPN for as little as $5) violate a carriage agreement that requires monthly subscriptions and were launched without Disney’s consent. Sling TV called the lawsuit “meritless” and said it will defend its ability to offer flexible access options. The dispute echoes a prior 2015 legal fight in which Disney sued Verizon over flexible channel packaging. Sling has been losing subscribers—more than 100,000 in a recent quarter—making short-term passes an apparent strategy to attract casual viewers. The suit signals a broader industry clash over how traditional bundle contracts will adapt to new, more flexible streaming business models; Disney also faces a separate antitrust lawsuit from Fubo related to sports streaming plans.
A legal dispute between a major content owner and a streaming distributor could set precedent for how short-term/à-la-carte streaming passes are treated under carriage agreements, affecting bundling, distribution models, and consumer pricing across the streaming/CTV ecosystem.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Disney sued Sling TV over Sling’s short-term (daily/weekly) streaming passes, claiming they violate a carriage agreement requiring monthly subscriptions.
- Sling’s passes offer daily or weekly access to channels such as ESPN for as little as $5.
- Sling TV characterized Disney’s lawsuit as “meritless” and said it will defend its right to offer flexible options.
- Sling TV lost more than 100,000 subscribers in a recent quarter, according to the article.
- Disney previously sued Verizon in 2015 over more flexible channel packaging and is also facing a separate antitrust lawsuit from Fubo related to sports streaming.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Sling TV $1 Day Pass After Court Ruling
Sling TV, owned by Dish Network, cut the price of its Day Pass to $1 after a federal judge denied Disney's request to block Sling's short-term Day, Weekend, and Week passes. Judge Arun Subramanian found Disney had not demonstrated irreparable harm and interpreted the carriage agreement's definition of 'subscriber' as flexible enough to include short-term users. Sling framed the price cut as a consumer-choice victory; Seth Van Sickel, Sling TV’s senior vice president, called the $1 Day Pass a thank-you to customers. Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a similar lawsuit against Dish, and the current carriage deal between Dish and Disney is set to expire within a year. Sling is promoting the pass for major sports events where unbundling is most contested.
Sling Discontinues Short-Term Passes
Sling TV has discontinued its short-term 'Sling Passes,' which allowed users to subscribe for one to seven days. Introduced in August 2025, the passes included Day, Weekend, and Week options, priced at $4.99, $9.99, and $14.99 respectively. The launch aimed to attract cord cutters during football season, but faced legal challenges from Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, who sued Sling's parent company DISH for breach of contract over the unapproved packages. The lawsuits likely influenced the decision to retire the passes, though no official reason was given. Sling now returns to its standard lineup: Orange, Blue, combined Orange & Blue, and the newer Basic plans ($19.99/month).
Klopp's Germany match pushes Tatort to yearly low
The article reports on German TV ratings for the weekend, highlighting the clash between the Nations League football match (Germany vs. Greece) on RTL and the new 'Tatort' episode on ARD. The football match dominated, with the second half attracting over 10 million viewers, averaging 10.13 million and a 46.0% market share in the second half. The 'Tatort: Explosive Mischung' drew 5.32 million viewers (20.7% share), its lowest reach this year, due to the football competition. Other notable ratings include ZDF's 'Wilsberg' winning Saturday with 4.89 million (23.5% share), ZDF's Rosamunde Pilcher film with 2.9 million, Sat.1's 'Oblivion' and ProSieben's 'Inglorious Basterds' with 0.72 and 0.52 million respectively, and 'The Voice of Germany' leading private broadcasters with 1.35 million. Streaming charts show Netflix's 'East of Eden' as new number one, 'Kill Jackie' on Prime Video, and 'Coven Academy' on Disney+. YouTube's top video was 'heute-show'. Data from AGF Videoforschung.
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