Fox corporation is warning DirecTV customers that they may lose access to its flagship sports channels and other programming on Friday citing a breakdown in negotiations with the TV provider.
“Despite our best efforts for months, we regret that DIRECTV continues to demand unprecedented special treatment that represents a wholesale change to our long-standing relationship and is out of step with marketplace terms,” Fox said in a statement posted to a website “keepfox .com.”
Fox said DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-Verse subscribers could lose access to Fox programming including the NFL on Fox, the Big Ten College Football Championship on Fox, the 2022 World Cup, FS1, Fox’s local news channels and more beginning midnight on Friday.
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Fox News and Fox Business are not among the programming at risk of being dropped, DirecTV said.
“At this point, any interruption of Fox programming depends solely on Fox alone. DIRECTV has no intention of removing any Fox content,” DirecTV spokesperson Nick Ammazzalorso said in a statement to USA TODAY. “The best way for everyone to ‘Keep Fox’ is for Fox to keep making it available for themselves.”
Ammazzalorso said the company, which was acquired by communications giant AT&T in 2015, was confident it would reach a deal before any potential disruption in service and accused Fox of using “scare tactics.”
The “Keep Fox” website advised customers to contact DirecTV and demand the provider strike a deal with Fox. It also lists out alternative TV providers who carry its channels.
