Disney AT&T U-verse Set Distribution Deal

AT&T U-verse and The Walt Disney Co. have set a comprehensive long-term distribution agreement to deliver Disney’s lineup of sports, news and entertainment content to AT&T U-verse TV customers across televisions, computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and internet-enabled televisions.

In total, approximately 70 services are covered by the broad scope of this agreement, including: ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN 3D, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN Full Court, ESPN3, The Longhorn Network, and retransmission consent for WABC New York; KABC Los Angeles; WLS Chicago; KGO San Francisco;  KTRK Houston; WTVD Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; KFSN Fresno-Visalia, Calif., as well as more than 10 high-definition networks.

As part of the new multi-year deal, AT&T U-verse will introduce several new services, including the full suite of Disney’s authenticated WATCH products, ESPN 3D, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, Disney Junior and the upcoming ABC News/Univision Joint Venture, a 24/7 news, information and lifestyle multi-platform network for English-dominant and bilingual Hispanics, the youngest and fastest-growing demographic in the U.S.

AT&T U-verse customers will receive broad access to existing authenticated products like WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD, WATCH Disney Junior and WatchESPN (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater), as well as the to-be-launched WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family services, through the networks’ own WATCH sites and apps as well as AT&T’s U-verse.com site and apps.

These products will give AT&T U-verse customers more opportunities to access live and video on demand content, both in-home and out-of-home, on their computers, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles. ESPN3 will also be available to any residential AT&T High Speed Internet customer, across screens and devices.

“We’re proud to deliver more Disney content and services to U-verse customers across the screens they watch most,” said Jeff Weber, president of content and advertising sales, AT&T Home Solutions. “Our U-verse customers expect access to content when they want it, where they want it, and this renewal gives them more value and access to a variety of live and on demand content in and outside the home.”

Added David Preschlack, EVP, affiliate sales and marketing, Disney & ESPN Networks Group: “The renewal with AT&T U-verse — our seventh top 10 distributor agreement in just over two years — extends the value of the multichannel subscription model with the addition of new networks and services.”

The extensive and expanded rights package for video-on-demand content to Charter TV customers includes: ABC On Demand, ABC Family On Demand, Disney Channel On Demand, Disney Junior On Demand and Disney XD On Demand and expanded On Demand content from ESPN, including content from ESPN Deportes and ESPN’s award-winning original content from ESPN Films.