Every fan’s interest was locked in on the Sunday night game between two CFB powerhouses at Allegiant Stadium. Both LSU and USC are entering a new conference with a new QB this season, so all eyes are on them to put speculations to rest. Set to air live on ABC at 7:30 PM ET, an unexpected blackout occurred 30 minutes before the game, to the horror of fans.
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LSU vs USC is a rare game. They only played together two times, the last game being in 1984. Besides, the interest is boosted, as both are elite powerhouses entering the season with new QB starters. Frustrated fans raised their voices in unison when DirecTV blacked out just before USC vs LSU kickoff. Certain markets have dropped the game from ABC and all other Disney-owned channels, including ESPN and ESPN2, among others. But why is this happening?
According to reports, the blackout stemmed from an ongoing dispute involving carrier fees between DirecTV and Disney, which is the parent company of ABC. USA TODAY previously posted a report that stated DirecTV’s chief content officer Rob Thun’s statement that the TV service company looks for “smaller, more tailored packages at prices that reflect value to consumers.”
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USA Today via Reuters
Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A general overall view of helmets at the line of scrimmage as LSU Tigers offensive lineman DJ Chester (79) snaps the ball against the Southern California Trojans in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
On Saturday, DirecTV Help Posted on X, “DirecTV has not yet reached an agreement with Disney. This means Disney-owned channels, including local ABC stations in right markets, ESPN, and other general entertainment and regional sports channels are currently unavailable.” But why is Disney not making a tremendous fuss on this? Well, they’re not at all happy with DirecTV. After all, it’s right before the game fans have all been waiting to watch!
Disney on LSU vs USC blackout on ABC
Disney clearly isn’t pleased with DirecTV’s motives as they spoke out about the ABC blackout. It wrote, “DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the US Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season. While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalued our portfolio of television channels and programs.”
It looks like the two parties will take time to channel their opinions to each other. Meanwhile, the affected channels are ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ACC Network, and SEC Network. In addition, people won’t be able to watch the station in eight Disney-owned ABC markets. But fans can still stream the LSU vs USC game online via the ESPN app, ESPN+, and Fubo (free trial).
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Vineet Nandwana