The 2024 NFL season is underway and there is one game left to play in Week 1.
The New York Jets travel west to take on the San Francisco 49ers in the first Monday Night Football game of the year. The game will air on ABC as usual, but some fans may not be able to watch it.
LIVE: Follow Jets vs. 49ers updates on ‘Monday Night Football’
DirectTV and Disney have been in a contract dispute since the start of the NFL season. It’s unclear whether Disney’s strategy in signing the latest contract was to gain additional leverage, but DirecTV has been adamant that it won’t back down and that Disney is the unruly party in the talks.
The opening night football game was considered a deadline for a deal to be reached, but as of Monday morning, no progress had been made publicly. If no deal is reached, DirecTV subscribers will continue to be without access to ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, the Disney Channel and more.
Why is 49ers-Jets not on DirecTV?
DirecTV users are currently unable to watch any ESPN channels due to an ongoing contract dispute between AT&T and Disney.
Monday Night Football airs on ABC and ESPN, which Disney owns. It’s one of several assets Disney is using to try to convince AT&T, DirecTV’s parent company, to agree to a new deal.
When DirecTV customers try to access a Disney-owned channel, they are greeted with a message saying“Disney wants you to miss Monday Night Football on ABC and ESPN while DirecTV works to reach a new deal.”
DirecTV subscribers will also not be able to stream the game on ESPN+.
Disney cut off its channels for DirecTV subscribers on Sunday, September 1. The date was notable because it was the first major weekend of college football, Labor Day weekend and near the end of the U.S. Open.
Updates on ESPN-DirecTV dispute
Disney executives went on the offensive, declaring in a press release“DirecTV has chosen to deny millions of subscribers access to our content as we enter the final week of the U.S. Open and prepare for college football and the NFL season opener.”
Rob Thun, DirecTV’s Chief Content Officer responded with a statement This included: “The Walt Disney Co. once again denies any responsibility to consumers and distribution partners.”
Unfortunately, no deal had been reached as of 9:45 a.m. ET on the morning of the game. At this point, DirecTV has taken steps to combat Disney, including giving subscribers a credit when they access ESPN from another company and also issuing a formal complaint to the FCC.
How to Watch Monday Night Football Without DirecTV
If no deal has been made, you won’t be able to watch the game directly through DirecTV, but they do offer credit to Disney competitors and a $20 credit for guests who stay.
DirecTV also gives to customers a $30 credit to sign up for Sling’s Orange tier, which includes ESPN channels.
Fubo carries all ESPN channels, so if you’re upset about the dispute because you don’t have access to sports, this could be a great solution. DirecTV is also offering customers who switch to Fubo a $30 credit for the first month.
| Streaming Option | Cost | Free trial? |
| Fubo | $79.99/month | Yes |
| NFL+ (mobile only) | $6.99/month | Yes |
| NFL+ Premium | $14.99/month | Yes |
| YouTube TV | $72.99/month | Yes |
| Sling TV | $40/month | Yes |
| Hulu + Live TV | $75.99/month | Yes |
