Disney, DirecTV reach deal to restore programs, including ABC, ESPN

Sept. 14 (UPI) -- DirecTV resumed channels from Disney , including ESPN and ABC, after the two sides agreed to a new deal less than two weeks after service was halted to the satellite TV provider.

The two companies made a joint announcement Saturday morning, before college football games began at noon EDT.

"DirecTV and The Walt Disney Company today announced an agreement in principle that provides greater choice, value, and flexibility to their mutual customers," DirecTV said in a news release. "As a result, Disney's full linear suite of networks has been restored to DirecTV, DirecTV Steam and U-verse customers while both parties work to finalize a new, multi-year contract."

DirecTV stopped airing Disney-owned channels on Sept 1. More than 11 million subscribers had lost access to the Disney stations during the dispute.

"We'd like to thank all affected viewers for their patience and are pleased to restore Disney's entire portfolio of networks in time for college football and the Emmy Awards this weekend," the companies said in a joint statement.

The distribution deal will include new packages of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ streaming services. DirecTV also can distribute the forthcoming ESPN standalone streaming service at no extra cost to DirecTV customers.

"We appreciate our customers' patience as we negotiated this challenging but vital agreement, which now provides them more flexibility and choice within a seamless entertainment experience," the companies said.

To persuade customers to stay, DirecTV struck deals with Sling , owned by rival satellite provider Dish Network, and Fubo to offer its customers credits and discounts to sign up for competing streaming services so people could watch the game. Also a $20 credit was announced.

DirecTV's subscribers, including those with Internet-based U-Verse TV, stopped receiving coverage in the middle of tennis' U.S. Open , starting at 7:20 p.m. EDT Sept. 1.

Subscribers also stopped receiving coverage on ESPN networks, including the flagship as well as ACC Network, SEC Network, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes.

ESPN also shows major league baseball games. And Monday night NFL games were simulcast on ABC and Disney.

Other blocked channels were Freeform, FX, FXX, FX Movie Channel, National Geographic, Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD.

ABC local affiliates owned by Disney also aren't now on DirecTV: Los Angeles; the San Francisco Bay Area; Fresno, Calif.; New York; Chicago; Philadelphia; Houston; and Raleigh, N.C.

Elsewhere in the nation, customers using DirecTV Stream were also blocked. Satellite coverage is available in those markets.

If the ABC coverage is blocked, that means local and national news and other programming were not available.

The debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris was broadcast by ABC on Tuesday but was simulcast on other non-Disney networks.

ABC is showing the Emmy Awards on Sunday.