SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — If you are one of the 11 million DirecTV, DirecTV Stream or UVerse subscribers who wanted to watch football this season, so far, you're out of luck.
Negotiations have broken down between DirecTV and Disney, and the timing is not great for football fans who rely on ESPN to give them college football and some NFL games.
DirecTV's website said its contract with Disney has expired, and the cable provider is now offering bill credits while it tries to "get your station back."
"If you’re concerned about possibly missing one of your favorite teams in the next few weeks, here’s the good news," DirecTV said. "FOX, CBS, NBC and Amazon Prime Video televise most of the NFL action, while ESPN/ABC has one game per week. Chances are your favorite team won’t play Monday night until later in the season after we’ve had plenty of time to come to a new agreement
"Big Ten schools play nearly every game on your local FOX, CBS, and NBC stations, as well as Big Ten Network – all of which remain available on DIRECTV satellite, streaming and U-verse. Big 12 teams will often play on FOX, FS1 or other available channels. Members of the ACC and SEC play most games on Disney-owned channels, as well as CW (ACC), so click here to check where to find your favorite NFL or college team(s)."
ABC's primetime series return with new episodes on Sept.17.
How to claim your credit
The DirecTV website gives customers a chance to plug in their zip codes and then explore bill credits. CNN reports that it's giving at least $20 in bill credits through the website.
In the meantime, you can stream NFL games without cable, though it can get complicated. This season, more games will be exclusive to streaming apps -- Amazon, ESPN+, Netflix, Peacock, YouTube TV and NFL+ all carry various games this season. ESPN+ is the only place you can watch at least one Monday Night Football Game. Thursday Night Football fans will need Amazon Prime. The NFL Sunday Ticket belongs to YouTube TV.