In a suit filed with the New York Supreme Court, Disney is suing Verizon for a plan that allows Verizon FiOS customers to choose a smaller bundle of TV channels each month. The ESPN channels are part of the sports bundle under their new “custom tv” plan which effectively makes ESPN optional. ESPN believes they are contractually obligated to be included in the base package. Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior are part of the “Kids Channel Pack”.
In a statement, ESPN said, “ESPN is at the forefront of embracing innovative ways to deliver high-quality content and value to consumers on multiple platforms, but that must be done in compliance with our agreements. We simply ask that Verizon abide by the terms of our contracts.”
Verizon has not commented on the suit.