Disney Streaming Lawsuit: How to Claim Your Share of the $50 Million Settlement
YouTube TV and DirecTV subscribers may receive a share of Disney’s $50 million antitrust settlement, with payouts varying by state.Summary
A class‑action lawsuit filed in November 2022 alleged that Disney used anticompetitive practices to set a price floor in the television streaming subscription market, forcing streaming services to include the expensive ESPN channel in their base bundles. The suit, Biddle v. The Walt Disney Co., was granted preliminary approval for a $50 million settlement in March 2024. Eligible claimants are customers who had YouTube TV subscriptions from April 1 2019 to March 31 2026, and all persons who purchased a DirecTV streaming live pay‑TV subscription under any of its brand names. The settlement is expected to cover roughly 17 million class members, but the actual payout per claimant will be less than $3 on average after attorney fees, with a higher likelihood of a larger amount for long‑term subscribers. Payouts will be distributed by digital transfer or check, and the amount depends on the claimant’s state of residence; 90 % of the fund is earmarked for residents of repealer jurisdictions, while the remaining 10 % is divided among the other 14 states. Claimants must submit a claim form by September 8, 2024, using a unique ID and PIN provided in settlement notices. Final approval of the settlement is pending a judge’s hearing on January 14 2027, and any appeals could extend the process for months or years.
(Source：Thestate)