Customers who have faced rising subscription fees with live streaming television services may qualify for a share of a $50 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit.
The November 2022 lawsuit alleged that since 2019, Disney pressured providers, including YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream (also known as DirecTV Now or AT&T TV Now), to raise customer prices by requiring them to offer bundles that included Disney’s ESPN and Hulu+.
A similar Disney case involving FuboTV, which also spans the past seven years, has not yet been settled.
Disney (DIS) denies the allegations and any wrongdoing. No court has found that Disney violated the law, and the settlement still requires formal court approval. Here’s who is eligible for the payout, the time period involved, and how to make a claim.
A 7-year window for payouts
Eligible customers in the settlement are those who purchased a live-streaming television subscription to YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Now, or AT&T TV Now between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026.
Settlement payments will be based on the length of a customer’s YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream subscription. The amounts paid will be determined by the number of eligible claims received, less attorneys’ fees.
How to file a claim
To be eligible for a settlement payment, customers must submit a claim form or opt out of the settlement before Sept. 8, 2026, at onlinetvsettlement.com.
No receipts or subscription documentation are required to file a claim. Customers will certify the start and end dates of a subscription under penalty of perjury. Known customers who have been notified by email or postcard will use a provided login code. If a potential claimant hasn’t been notified, they can file a claim by mail without an ID.
The settlement agreement comes after years of legal proceedings. A final approval hearing will be held on Jan. 14, 2027, and shortly after, payments will be issued to eligible claimants.
Disney to ‘consider’ offering subscription flexibility to providers
For consumers who struggle with rising streaming bundle prices, the settlement also noted another possible concession from Disney.
Over the next three years, Disney will “consider proposals” from streaming providers for “a monthly paid subscription service that offers less than all Disney networks” and packages that “could exclude Disney’s costly ESPN channels.”