The limited-time PAY-TV package offered by Dish Network’s Sling TV is in the legal crosshairs of another major media company. Warner Bros Discovery sued the dish, claiming that the recently introduced Sling TV “Passes” violated the terms of the distribution agreement.
Last month, Sling introduced a new suite of packages that allow you to sign up to win a 24-hour live TV or to pay for a week or just one week. Disney and ESPN sued the food on the package on August 29th, but WBD still has it.
“Dish’s brave actions continue to cause irreparable harm to programmers,” Warner Bros Discovery said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday (September 9) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. “The pass undermines the business model of programmers who rely on monthly subscriptions.” A copy of the complaint can be found at this link.
In a statement provided to Variety, a Warner Bros Discovery spokesperson said, “While we value our partnership with Dish, the program violates the terms of our agreement and hopes that this issue will be resolved quickly and amicably.”
Asked for a response, a spokesman for Echostar, the parent of the dish and sling, declined to comment “on aggressive litigation issues.”
However, an Echostar representative provided this comment. “Sling TV has destroyed the mold of expensive, stiff bundles with flexible sling orange days, weekend and weekly pass subscriptions. This customer-first model challenges the old pricing playbook of old guards and relies on long-term contracts to compensate for market forces and contracts. A shift to competition that places consumer value ahead of monopoly control.”
The WBD lawsuit accuses the food of a breach of contract. As part of the new Day, Week and Weekend Pass (“Pass”) of Dish, we are attempting to prohibit the “illegal distribution, transmission, or sale” of dishes as part of the “sling television platform” of programmers’ valuable television networks and other content.
The networks cited in the WBD lawsuit include TNT, CNN, TBS, HGTV, Research Discovery, and Food Network. Warner Bros. Discovery claims that the new Sling TV Pass is in violation of its distribution agreement with Dish, as it is not a standard monthly subscription plan.
“Dish is currently violating the Culinary Partnership Agreement by providing temporary access to programming without a subscription beyond the scope of the rights granted under these agreements through the recently announced ‘industry acquisition’ pass,” WBD said in the lawsuit. “In fact, Dish has been explicitly stated in press releases and in some ads, allowing consumers to view certain content “without a subscription.” ”
According to Warner Bros. Discovery, Dish launched it by announcing the Sling TV Pass “without consulting or notifying the company.” WBD said it sent Dish a ceasefire and assumed notice about Sling TV Passes Packages, but the dish refused to stop “improper use and distribution of programming.”
The Sling short-term package, with each WBD complaint, “fundamentally disrupts” the standard pay-TV industry model by allowing customers to purchase access to “most popular programming,” including “major sporting events, essentially the most popular programming,” with just a small portion of the costs that consumers had to pay to watch events on a pay-per-view basis.
Warner Bros Discovery also claims that Sling TV’s pass is threatening to “disturb” relationships with other pay-TV streaming partners.
When launching the Day Pass ($4.99), Sling pitched it as a way to watch live sports without signing up for a long-term plan. “Big games start in three hours and you need a way to stream live TV. “Enter Day Pass with Sling. Industry-changing products offer instant access to 34 most popular live channels on cable for $4.99, which is usually less than you would spend on lunch.”
Other packages from Sling are weekend pass ($9.99) and Week Pass ($14.99). These are designed for viewers who want to watch live sports, award shows, or other events without paying more than a month.
