Dish Network & Disney -- When?

[TennVolFan]

Anybody know when EchoStar's corporate deal with Disney expires? DirecTV just redid their's with Disney, which is why ESPNU is now on DirecTV. The Disney-Dish deal is probably the latest ESPNU will appear on Dish -- may come sooner. Anyone know?

 

[BFG]

added on hopefully they'll have to carry ESPN2-HD in the new agreement as well.

But when they need to re agree, I dunno...

 

[Stargazer]

Seeing how much ESPN is (I hear around $2 per sub) I would have to see what ESPN2-HD is.

 

[TennVolFan]

Stargazer,

Actually, your number is low. As a package, the ESPN nets cost around $3.00 per month or so, and will rise to about $5.00 per month later this decade or the early part of the next.

Anybody have any idea when Disney's deal with Echostar expires? I would think someone here would know? No?

 

[dlsnyder]

As I recall it was about two years ago in June that Charlie threatened to pull local ABC channels over the contract negotiations with Disney - right about the time ABC Family launched. Maybe another year to go?

 

[BobMurdoch]

That's a good point. What is the next major agreement set to expire? So we can get ready with our Give 'em Hell Charlie, or Cheap Charlie arguments.........

 

[tlbrewer]

As long as Charlie does not come with that weak argument about the increase costs being 3 times the rate of inflation, a month after he raised my bill by 2 times the rate of inflation ($2), and ask me to whine to Disney for him.

 

[dlsnyder]

Wow, has it been that long already? This article from Multichannel News , dated 01/07/02, is about the last round of the E* vs. Disney feud, during which ESPN Classic was taken off. If they signed a 5-year deal that would put the next negotiation period at the end of next year.