THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY AND SUDDENLINK
ANNOUNCE BROAD MULTI-YEAR DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
New Deal Provides Sports, News and Entertainment to
Suddenlink Customers In and Out of the Home
Suddenlink to Add Upcoming SEC Network at Launch
and Longhorn Network in Time for Football Season
Full Suite of Authenticated WATCH Services and Fusion to Launch Beginning this Fall
ST. LOUIS, MO and BRISTOL, CT –– AUGUST 4, 2014 –– Suddenlink and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) today announced a broad multi-year distribution agreement to deliver Disney’s robust lineup of top quality sports, news and entertainment content to Suddenlink TV customers across televisions, computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and connected devices.The renewal agreement enhances the multichannel business model and supports the companies’ mutual goal to deliver the best video content to customers across multiple platforms.
“A number of our customers have expressed interest in the SEC and Longhorn Networks, and a sizable majority have told us how much they value Disney networks like ESPN and ABC Family,” said Kathy Payne, Suddenlink Senior Vice President and Chief Programming Officer. “We’re very pleased we can provide those customers what they’ve said they want, and we’d like to specially thank the SEC and Longhorn fans who contacted us for their enthusiasm and patience, as we worked with Disney to complete this comprehensive, long-term agreement.”
“Suddenlink TV customers will benefit greatly from this latest multi-year renewal agreement,” added Sean Breen,Senior Vice President, Affiliate Sales, Disney & ESPN Networks Group. “Not only will they continue to receive top quality content from Disney and ESPN networks ahead of the new fall programming slate and upcoming football season, but also additional, highly sought after services.”
As part of the new multi-year deal, Suddenlink will introduce several new services, including the upcoming SEC Network at launch on August 14 and Longhorn Network, beginning with the 2014-15 college football season. In addition, beginning this fall, Suddenlink plans to introduce Fusion and the full suite of authenticated WATCH services, including WatchESPN. Continuing services covered by the broad scope of this agreement include: ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPN3, video-on-demand services and retransmission consent forKABC-TV in Los Angeles, WTVD-TV in Raleigh-Durham, KTRK-TV in Houston and KFSN-TV in Fresno.
About Suddenlink
Suddenlink (suddenlink.com) is the seventh largest cable operator in the United States, supporting the information, communication and entertainment demands of approximately 1.4 million residential and commercial customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and elsewhere. Suddenlink simplifies its customers’ lives through one call for support, one connection, and one bill for TV, Internet, phone and other services.
About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $45 billion in its Fiscal Year 2013.
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