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Dish subscribers can now access ESPN, Disney & ABC content through mobile apps & online

Dish and The Walt Disney company announced today that they have reached a multi-year distribution deal that will see Dish subscribers gain access to a ton of Disney content including its ABC and ESPN networks. That means if you subscribe to Dish, you’ll now be able to access the WATCH ABC, WATCH ABC Family, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH DisneyXD and WatchESPN through your computer, smartphone, tablet and other connected devices like game consoles and Apple TV. The deal will also see Dish launch a number of Disney and ESPN networks while pending litigation between the two companies comes to an end:

The agreement will result in dismissal of all pending litigation between the two companies, including disputes over PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop. As part of the accord, DISH will disable AutoHop functionality for ABC content within the C3 ratings window. The deal also provides a structure for other advertising models as the market evolves, including dynamic ad insertion, advertising on mobile devices and extended advertising measurement periods.

DISH will make available Disney Junior, Fusion, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, as well as Longhorn Network and the upcoming SEC ESPN Network upon its launch. In addition, DISH, ESPN and ESPN Deportes customers will have access to the live and video-on-demand channel ESPN3… As part of the agreement, DISH will launch ESPNEWS, ESPNU, Disney Channel and ABC Family in high definition. ESPN Classic will be reintroduced as a video-on-demand channel.

For Apple device users, the majority of the content is available through dedicated iOS and Apple TV apps including WatchESPN, WatchABC, and WatchDisneyChannel

Other networks from Disney, including WATCH Disney Junior, SEC ESPN Network and Longhorn Network will arrive for Dish subscribers later in the year.

DISH customers can now conveniently watch live programming from ABC Family, Disney Channel and Disney XD as well as live network streams of ABC, which are currently available in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Fresno, Philadelphia and Raleigh-Durham. Additionally, live events and programming from ESPN networks – including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes – are now accessible. ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater will also be available on WatchESPN when those channels are in season. Video subscribers will need to log in with their DISH online IDs and passwords to access all services.

In addition to live streaming, DISH video subscribers can watch the most current episodes of ABC and ABC Family original series the day after they air online at ABC.com and ABCFamily.com or on smartphones and tablets via the WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family apps, which are available free to download in the App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon Appstore and Windows Store. WATCH ABC is also accessible on Apple TV.

DISH customers can access live and popular on-demand programming from Disney Channel and Disney XD online at WATCHDisneyChannel.com and WATCHDisneyXD.com. The WATCH Disney Channel and WATCH Disney XD apps are free to download in the App Store and Amazon Appstore. The networks are also accessible on Apple TV and Roku.

For WatchESPN, DISH video subscribers can visit WatchESPN.com on their computers for live access to ESPN networks. Customers with a supported smartphone or tablet can also download the free WatchESPN app by visiting the App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon Appstore or Windows Store. The app features access to live content and on-demand video clips. WatchESPN live programming and on-demand clips are also available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, Apple TV and Roku.

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Comments

  1. And so it begins… The death of cable…

  2. rogifan - 10 years ago

    C’mon ABC work out a deal with DirecTV already.

  3. Josh Hutton - 10 years ago

    Yes, but you still have to subscribe to Dish. When are they going to figure out that this business model is dying?

  4. Charles John Thompson III - 10 years ago

    Hmm, is there a reason all of their products begin with WATCH? Perhaps their accidentally hired the Department of Redundancy Department to supervise marketing?

  5. Jason Piebes - 10 years ago

    The death of cable is not going to happen any time soon. Yes technically the disney and ABC app is on Apple TV but you still need a cable subscription to view anything. As long as the various channels keep signing contracts with cable/satellite companies this will not change. I switched from the evil comcast to DirecTV and naturally they prefer to funnel everything through their own less than impressive app versus allowing viewers to access directly through content providers.

  6. rafterman11 - 10 years ago

    Meanwhile, DirecTV is seen scratching their collective heads, going “what is this “mobile app” you speak of?”

    • rezwits (@rezwits) - 10 years ago

      yeah exactly, saying we already have this content when they subscribe to our network, why would they ever want this? Which is “kinda” true tho… but we need true cord cutting that’s the next full step, then after that ad cutting. I want ad cutting the most, so until then will see…

  7. Adams Brautigam - 10 years ago

    I gave up cable 2 years ago, I can watch everything I want right on my phone or tablet, and plug it into my HDTV if I want a larger picture…Dish is seriously not worth the money…The crackle app is one of my favorites, followed by T-Mobile TV. My favorite app is Buy Local by AB Mobile Apps: http://www.cnet.com/news/users-spend-two-hours-plus-a-day-toying-with-mobile-apps/

  8. Nikato Muirhead - 10 years ago

    Directv is archaic technology. Dish is moving forward rapidly. I am convinced that in less than 2 years, they will no longer be known as Dish Network, in less than 10 years, they will probably sell 1 dish for every 5 new subscribers to their wireless video services .

  9. Kristine Morgan - 9 years ago

    Do you have to subscribe to disney xd? Or can you have a lower package on dish and still get disney xd?

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.