Dish Network Corp. reached a deal with ESPN Inc. to carry the ACC Network (US).
The parties, according to a tweet from ESPN, scored a pact on Aug. 29 enabling DISH subscribers with America's Top 120+ package or above or those customers with the Regional Action Pack or Multi-Sport Pack to watch the service on the carrier’s Channel 402. The deal came just in time for the ACC Network's first football telecast, Clemson's rout of Georgia Tech the same day.
ACC Network also was made available on the Orange package of the distributor’s virtual provider, Sling TV, on Aug. 29, and will be added to Sling Orange Sports Extra, beginning Aug. 30.
DISH, Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications Inc. were the major distribution holdouts for the network, covering action from the 15-school Atlantic Coast Conference, which bowed Aug. 22. Comcast and Cox have yet to sign carriage deals for the ACC Network.
It was unclear if the carriage agreement also encompassed the FX (US), FXX (US), FXM (US), National Geographic Channel (US) and National Geographic Wild cable networks that ESPN parent The Walt Disney Co. acquired in March. The contracts for those cable networks were set to expire on July 21, but have remained on DISH's air. An extension was announced Aug. 27, after Disney warned the channels might become unavailable to DISH subscribers.
ESPN, Disney and DISH officials did not respond to queries by press time.
