You could be eligible for a Disney payday.
The Walt Disney Co. has agreed to resolve a class action lawsuit with a staggering $50 million settlement.
The original class action suit alleges that Disney forced YouTubeTV and DirecTV Stream to inflate their subscription prices, a move that violated federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws.
According to the suit, Disney strongarmed the aforementioned providers into carrying ESPN and other Disney-owned channels, making it impossible for these providers to offer cheaper packages sans the sports network, leaving consumers to absorb what the plaintiffs described as “artificially inflated prices.”
While Disney denies any wrongdoing, they have agreed to pay out to eligible customers who held a YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream subscription between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026
Eligible customers are classified as belonging to Repealer Jurisdictions, including Alabama, New York, California, Florida, and 36 other states. Non-Repealer Jurisdictions include all remaining states and territories.
Settlement compensation depends on the length of the YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream subscription, and eligible folks must submit a valid claim form, available on the Online TV Settlement website, by September 8, 2026.
Those who choose to exclude themselves from the settlement must also do so Sept. 8, 2026, via a mail-in request to the settlement administrator at the following address: Biddle v. Disney, Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 4720, Portland, OR 97208-4720.
Once all claims have been submitted, the settlement administrator will finalize the cash payout details, which will be determined by the number of valid claims.
A final approval hearing is slated for Jan. 14, 2027. If approved by a judge, settlement payments will follow. Typically, payouts must be made within a specific time frame, usually 90 days.
In addition to the financial payout, Disney has agreed to proposed changes that would require the mouse house to entertain proposals from streaming distributors that want to offer packages with fewer Disney-owned networks, including plans that exclude ESPN channels.
These proposed exclusions would give streaming services increased flexibility in negotiating carriage agreements.
Fubo TV is also part of the original lawsuit but has yet to reach a settlement with Disney. Their portion of the lawsuit is ongoing.
In other lawsuit news, Costco is fighting back against a recent suit that claims the big box brand misled customers with the marketing of its Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken, which contains carrageenan and sodium phosphate while still being marketed as having “no preservatives.”
According to the lawsuit, the labeling misleads consumers and violates Washington’s Consumer Protection Act, California’s Consumers’ Legal Remedies Act, and other California statutes.
Meanwhile, last month, Bank of America agreed to pay $2.25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging it overcharged customers on ATM fees at 7-Eleven stores.
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