Spectrum deal brings back ESPN hours before Buffalo Bills vs. NY Jets game

Emily Barnes, New York State Team
Updated ·2 min read

Monday Night Football fans can all breathe a sigh of relief as the ESPN blackout has come to an end hours before kickoff.

Charter Communications and The Walt Disney Company ended their dispute Monday with a "transformative" agreement which ultimately restores the majority of Disney's stations and networks for Spectrum customers, effective immediately.

"This deal recognizes both the continued value of linear television and the growing popularity of streaming services while addressing the evolving needs of our consumers," Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company, and Chris Winfrey, CEO, Charter Communications, said in a joint statement Monday.

What this means for Spectrum customers

Spectrum announced Thursday it has doubled the starting download speed of Spectrum Internet from 100 to 200 Mbps in the Palm Springs market.
Spectrum announced Thursday it has doubled the starting download speed of Spectrum Internet from 100 to 200 Mbps in the Palm Springs market.

Spectrum will continue to carry the ABC-owned television stations, Disney Channel, FX and the Nat Geo Channel, in addition to the full suite of ESPN networks, according to the statement.

However, Baby TV, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXM, FXX, Nat Geo Wild and Nat Geo Mundo will no longer be included in Spectrum TV video packages.

In the coming months, the Disney+ Basic ad-supported offering will be provided to customers who purchase the Spectrum TV Select package and ESPN+ will be provided to Spectrum TV Select Plus subscribers.

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The ESPN flagship direct-to-consumer service will also be made available to Spectrum TV Select subscribers.

Charter will also offer Disney’s direct-to-consumer services to all of its customers for purchase at retail rates. These include Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, as well as The Disney Bundle.

Spectrum refunds: Will you get a refund from Spectrum over blackout?

What about refunds?

Charter Spectrum is about to pay up.
Charter Spectrum is about to pay up.

Spectrum customers will be receiving them.

"Charter will be providing a prorated credit for Disney content that was unavailable during the carriage dispute to eligible Spectrum TV customers who had not received a credit already," a Charter representative said in a written statement Monday.

A number of New Yorkers also took to social media to say they received them.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who pushed for Spectrum's affected customers to receive refunds last week, is continuing to hold the company accountable for their actions.

"I'm pleased that Disney and Charter have resolved their corporate dispute and resumed service for more than 1.5 million New York customers that lost access to ESPN and Disney-owned channels," Hochul said in a written statement Monday. "My Administration will ensure that New Yorkers receive a refund for the days they were without service, holding true to our commitment that we will always prioritize consumer protection."

Emily Barnes is the New York State Team Consumer Advocate Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Barnes at ebarnes@gannett.com or on Twitter @byemilybarnes. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Spectrum deal brings back ESPN hours before Bills vs. Jets game