Disney has reached a settlement in a lawsuit claiming the company drove up costs for live TV streaming subscriptions through anticompetitive practices.

Anyone who subscribed to YouTube TV or DirecTV at any time since April 2019 may qualify for compensation from the $50 million fund. Eligibility covers purchases made between April 1 2019 and March 31 2026. DirecTV plans may have appeared under the names DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Now or AT&T TV Now.

How to apply for the settlement

Eligible individuals should receive notification by mail or email. Review spam folders if an email does not appear promptly. Claims must be submitted by Sept. 8.

Recipients of notices can visit the settlement website and sign in using the provided ID and PIN to confirm their subscription details.

Those who did not receive notice yet believe they qualify may contact the administrator by email or submit a printed claim form by mail to the designated address. Mailed forms must carry a postmark no later than Sept. 8.

Ninety percent of the funds are allocated to claimants in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The remaining ten percent is reserved for participants in other states and territories.

Why the lawsuit?

The case, filed in 2022, accused Disney of violating antitrust and consumer protection statutes by requiring streaming services to include costly channels such as ESPN and Hulu in base packages. This bundling allegedly raised prices significantly, with YouTube TV base plans rising from $35 to $65 monthly.

Plaintiffs noted that after Disney gained control of Hulu in May 2019, prices for streaming live pay television services nearly doubled. Disney has denied any legal violations. A final approval hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2027. A Disney representative did not provide comment on the matter.