Disney has settled a lawsuit alleging it charged higher prices for live TV subscriptions.
Since becoming fascinated by the Cambridge coffee shop webcam in the 1990s, I’ve written about VPNs, the NFL, smartphones, decent salaries, plus/minus and everything in between.
If you’ve ever subscribed to YouTube TV or DirecTV at any point since April 2019, you could get money as part of a $50 million settlement agreed to by Disney in an antitrust lawsuit the company faced for allegedly charging higher prices for its products. live TV streaming services.
To qualify for a payment, you had to have purchased a YouTube TV or DirecTV subscription – or both – between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2026. DirecTV subscriptions could have been called DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Now and/or AT&T TV Now.
How to request payment
If you are part of the settlement, you will likely receive a notice in your USPS mailbox or email inbox. Check your junk or spam folders in case your email service filters them. The deadline to claim payment is September 8.
If you receive a notice, go to this website and log in with the ID and PIN provided on the settlement notice. You will need to verify your YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream subscription.
If you do not receive notice but believe you are eligible for cash settlement, email info@OnlineTVSettlement.com or print a PDF version of the claim form and mail it to:
Biddle vs. Disney
Settlement Administrator
PO Box 4720
Portland, OR 97208-4720
Printed claims must be postmarked by September 8.
The settlement terms specify that 90% of the money will be paid to beneficiaries in these states and territories: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Carolina. Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
The remaining 10% will go to colony members in other states.
Why this trial?
In Biddle v. Disney (PDF) filed in 2022, the plaintiffs alleged that Disney violated federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws by forcing subscribers of YouTube TV, DirecTV, and FuboTV to pay more for live television streaming. The $50 million settlement does not apply to the FuboTV plaintiffs, who have not yet settled with Disney.
The plaintiffs alleged that Disney forced streaming platforms to bundle content from expensive channels such as ESPN and Hulu – both owned by Disney – into basic packages, thereby increasing subscription prices for those packages. It has been alleged that YouTube TV base package subscription prices have increased from $35 to $65.
“Since Disney acquired operational control of Hulu in May 2019, prices on SLPTV [Streaming Live Pay Television] The market, including for YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, nearly doubled,” the lawsuit claims.
Disney denies violating any laws. There will be a hearing on January 14, 2027 for final approval of the settlement.
A representative for Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Since becoming fascinated by the Cambridge coffee shop webcam in the 1990s, I’ve written about VPNs, the NFL, smartphones, decent salaries, plus/minus and everything in between. See full bio
