Louisiana DIRECTV Customers Livid as ABC, ESPN Go Dark Before LSU-USC Kickoff

Louisiana DIRECTV customers were left fuming as all Disney-owned networks, including ABC and ESPN, went dark just minutes before the highly anticipated USC-LSU game. The blackout comes after DIRECTV and Disney failed to reach an agreement on a new contract, leading to the abrupt disappearance of all Disney channels, which include ESPN, ABC, and other popular networks.

The timing of the blackout could not have been worse for sports fans, as it happened during the final week of the U.S. Open and right before the kickoff of college football season. Frustrated viewers across Louisiana quickly took to social media to express their outrage at the loss of their favorite channels during such a crucial sports weekend.

One disgruntled customer tweeted, “Hey @DIRECTV if I wake up tomorrow without ESPN…I’m gone. It’s just that simple.” Another DIRECTV user vented, “Count your days @DIRECTV. Yall do this goofy sh** every f****** football season. I’m sick of it.” A third viewer questioned the value of their subscription, stating, “Dear @DIRECTV, I’m paying this much money and can’t get @espn channels? Please tell me why.”

In response to the uproar, DIRECTV has been posting an automated reply to affected customers on social media: “We want you to keep the networks you watch, too. That’s why we’ve been working behind the scenes to get a deal done, but Disney decided to put customers in the middle of business negotiations before the contract expired. We’re fighting for you.”

Disney, however, placed the blame on DIRECTV in a statement from Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairmen of Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN. They criticized DIRECTV’s decision, stating, “DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the US Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season. While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs.”

The statement emphasized Disney’s commitment to delivering high-quality entertainment, news, and sports content, urging DIRECTV to quickly finalize a deal that would restore access to their programming.

With the fall sports season in full swing, the blackout has left Louisiana fans hoping for a swift resolution between the two companies. For now, however, the dispute continues to leave DIRECTV customers without some of their most-watched channels, right at the start of what’s shaping up to be a thrilling college football season.