There might be a chance for a payout from Disney.
The Walt Disney Company has committed to settling a class action lawsuit for a remarkable $50 million.
This lawsuit claims Disney pressured YouTubeTV and DirecTV Stream to raise their subscription prices, allegedly breaching both federal and state antitrust and consumer protection regulations.
The complaint indicates that Disney compelled these providers to carry ESPN and other channels it owns, making it tough for them to create more affordable packages that didn’t include sports channels, ultimately forcing consumers to deal with what the plaintiffs are calling “artificially inflated prices.”
Although Disney denies any wrongdoing, the company has consented to make payments to eligible customers who subscribed to YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream from April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2026.
Customers eligible for this settlement are located in select states, including Alabama, New York, California, Florida, and 36 others. Remaining jurisdictions cover all other states and territories.
The amount of compensation will differ based on how long your subscription to YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream lasted. Eligible individuals will need to submit a valid claim form available on the Online TV Settlement Website by September 8, 2026.
If someone wishes to opt out of the settlement, they must send a request by mail by September 8, 2026, to the Settlement Administrator at this address: Biddle v. Disney, Settlement Administrator, PO Box 4720, Portland, OR 97208-4720.
Once all claims are in, the payment administrator will sort through details on disbursement, based on the number of active claims processed.
A hearing for final approval is slated for January 14, 2027, and should the judge approve it, payments will typically be completed within about 90 days.
Along with the monetary settlement, Disney has agreed to changes that would require them to entertain proposals from streaming distributors that want to offer packages without as many Disney-owned channels, including options that leave out ESPN.
These changes could give streaming services more room to maneuver in negotiating carriage agreements.
Fubo TV is also named in the original lawsuit but hasn’t reached a settlement with Disney yet, so that case is still ongoing.
In other legal matters, Costco is currently pushing back against a lawsuit claiming the company misled customers regarding the marketing of its Kirkland Signature seasoned rotisserie chicken, which contains carrageenan and sodium phosphate but is advertised as “preservative-free.”
This complaint suggests that such claims are misleading and violate multiple consumer protection laws in Washington and California.
Additionally, Bank of America recently agreed to pay $2.25 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit that accused it of overcharging ATM fees at 7-Eleven stores.
