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By Michaela Gordoni
After a large class action lawsuit, Disney must pay out $50 million in settlements to those who subscribed to YouTubeTV or DirectTV Stream between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026.
The plaintiffs argued that Disney wrongly knotted live TV service programming, such as ABC, ESPN and Hulu, to its basic streaming options as a way to “inflate prices marketwide by raising the prices of its own products.”
The plaintiffs are comprised of subscribers of YouTubeTV, DirecTV Stream, and FuboTV, The Independent reported. The complaint cites Disney increasing its Hulu + Live TV package, which resulted in DirecTV’s and YouTube TV’s price inflation, The Independent reported.
Disney hasn’t admitted to fault but agreed to pay out the settlement with YouTube TV and DirecTV.
Claimants have until Sept. 8 to submit their claim, and qualifying members should have been sent notices via mail or email. Those who are unsure if they are eligible for compensation can call 1-877-704-2517. Claims can be submitted online or by mail. Subscribers who want to fill out a claim by mail must fill out a form and mail it to Biddle v. Disney, Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 4720, Portland, OR 97208-4720, USA Today said.
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However, the settlement still requires court approval, Newsweek said. The court date is set for Jan. 14, 2027. If approved, payments will be issued after that date. Usually, payments must be made within a specified period, such as 90 days.
Payments will be made on a pro-rata basis, so the amount of compensation depends on the subscription length and number of claims filed.
Those who wish to object and stay in the settlement and tell the court why they do not agree with it must file their objections by Dec. 1, 2026, the New York Post added.
“It’s important for those customers to understand you do have to submit a claim by September 8, and the amount you receive will depend on the length of your subscription,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, said.
Also named in the suit, FuboTV has not yet reached a settlement with Disney, which purchased Fubo in 2025.
“The era of streaming has provided an incredible amount of content for consumers, but it’s also produced increased concerns over streaming providers using tactics that could hurt competition,” Beene said. “This case could serve as a warning that attempts to raise prices on partner providers could not just backfire with customers, but also result in legal backlash, as well.”
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