Disney $50 Million Antitrust Settlement, Check If You Qualify, Deadline September 8, 202— Biddle v. The Walt Disney Company, No. 5:22-cv-07317-EJD

Disney YouTube TV/DirecTV Antitrust Settlement — Key Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$50,000,000
Claim Deadline	September 8, 2026
Who Qualifies	Anyone who purchased YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream (including DirecTV Now, AT&T TV Now) between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026
Estimated Payout	Varies by state and subscription length — see below
Proof Required	No. Account number, email, or phone tied to your subscription is enough.
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved, awaiting final approval
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 5:22-cv-07317-EJD
Law Alleged	Federal antitrust law and state antitrust/consumer protection laws
Administrator	Epiq
Official Claim Site	OnlineTVSettlement.com
Last Updated	July 17, 2026

There’s roughly $50 million waiting for YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream subscribers — if you had a subscription between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026. Disney agreed to pay $50 million to settle claims that it drove up streaming prices. You have until September 8, 2026, to file.

Who Is Disney and Why Are They Being Sued Over Streaming Prices?

Disney owns ESPN, one of the most in-demand channels for live sports. Subscribers claim Disney used that leverage to force YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream into bundling ESPN and related channels into their basic packages through carriage agreements. That, plaintiffs argued, blocked those platforms from offering cheaper, ESPN-free tiers — and pushed prices up across the board.

What Did Disney Do to Subscribers Between 2019 and 2026?

The lawsuit, filed in 2022 and known as Biddle v. Disney, accuses Disney of violating federal antitrust law along with a mix of state antitrust and consumer protection statutes. The claim: Disney’s contracts with streaming platforms required ESPN and other Disney-owned channels to be included in standard packages, regardless of whether subscribers wanted them, which kept competitors from undercutting Disney on price.

Disney denies all of it. They’re not admitting they did anything wrong. Most companies don’t when they settle. That doesn’t mean the case wasn’t real — it means both sides decided a trial wasn’t worth the risk and cost. A separate group of FuboTV subscribers made similar claims but hasn’t settled with Disney; that piece of the case is still working its way through court and isn’t covered by this settlement.

That $15 million difference between what class counsel can request and what actually reaches subscribers is the tradeoff of any class action this size — worth knowing before you decide how much time to spend on your claim.

Who Qualifies for the Disney Antitrust Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

• Anyone who paid for a YouTube TV subscription between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026
• Subscribers to DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Now, or AT&T TV Now during that same window
• People who’ve since canceled either service are still eligible if they subscribed during the class period
• Businesses or organizations that held a qualifying subscription can also file

Disney employees, officers, and their immediate families are excluded, along with the judges and court staff assigned to the case.

Related article: Scotiabank $10.45 Million NSF Fee Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Canaan Alexander v. The Bank of Nova Scotia

Subscribers Outside California — Are You Still Covered?

Yes, and your state matters more than you’d think. The settlement splits payments between “Repealer Jurisdictions” and “Non-Repealer Jurisdictions” — a distinction almost nobody covering this case is explaining clearly. Ninety percent of the payout pool goes to people who lived in a Repealer Jurisdiction at any point during the class period; only 10% is set aside for everyone else.

Repealer Jurisdictions include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., 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. If you lived somewhere else during the class period, you’re in the smaller 10% pool — which likely means a smaller check for the same length of subscription.

Not sure if you qualify for the Disney antitrust settlement? A free consultation with a class action lawsuit attorney can help before the September 8 deadline.

How Much Can Disney Settlement Class Members Get? Up to $50 Million Total

Payments are pro-rata, based on how long you subscribed to YouTube TV and/or DirecTV Stream during the class period — and which jurisdiction pool you fall into. More filers in your pool means smaller checks for everyone in it, since the fund is fixed regardless of turnout.

If you held both a YouTube TV and a DirecTV Stream subscription during the class period, you can claim for both on a single form. Payments over $600 may appear on a 1099. Check with a tax professional. There’s no fixed per-person number here — the honest answer is your state and your subscription length decide your share, not a flat payout amount.

That’s the part worth sitting with: two people who subscribed for the exact same length of time could get very different checks, purely based on where they lived.

How to File Your Disney Settlement Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to OnlineTVSettlement.com
2. Enter your name, email, and the account number or phone/email tied to your YouTube TV and/or DirecTV Stream account
3. Include both subscriptions on one form if you had both
4. No documentation upload required — your account details are enough
5. Submit and save your confirmation
6. Watch your email — the administrator, Epiq, will contact you if anything else is needed

Takes about 10 minutes.

Should Disney Class Members Opt Out or Object Before September 8?

What Opting Out of the Disney Settlement Actually Means

Opting out means you get no payment but keep your right to sue Disney separately over the same claims. Most people should not opt out without legal advice. The opt-out deadline is September 8, 2026, the same day as the claim deadline.

How to Object to the Disney Settlement

Objecting means staying in the class while telling the court you disagree with some part of the deal. Objections must be filed by December 1, 2026, with the Class Action Clerk, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 280 South 1st Street, Room 2112, San Jose, CA 95113.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before September 8 if you’re considering either option.

Disney Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Preliminary Approval Granted	UNVERIFIED — exact date not confirmed through a permitted primary source
Claims Period Opens	Now open
Claim Filing Deadline	September 8, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	September 8, 2026
Objection Deadline	December 1, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	January 14, 2027, 9:00 a.m.
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — payments begin only after final approval and any appeals are resolved

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a Disney antitrust settlement claim?

 No. The claim form only asks for basic account information. A lawyer is only useful if you’re weighing whether to opt out or object.

Is the Disney $50 million settlement legitimate?

 Yes. It’s overseen by U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila in the Northern District of California and administered by Epiq, a court-approved settlement administrator.

When will Disney settlement payments be sent?

 Not until after the January 14, 2027, final approval hearing, and only once any appeals are resolved. There’s no fixed payment date yet.

What if I missed the Disney claim deadline?

 Claims must be submitted online or postmarked by September 8, 2026. Late claims typically aren’t accepted, so file as soon as you can if you haven’t yet.

Will my Disney settlement payment go on a 1099?

Payments over $600 may be reported. Check with a tax professional about your specific situation.

Does it matter if I’ve already canceled YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream?

 No. You qualify based on whether you subscribed at any point during the class period, not whether you’re still subscribed now.

Why does my state affect how much I get from the Disney settlement?

 The settlement allocates 90% of the payout pool to people who lived in a “Repealer Jurisdiction” during the class period and only 10% to everyone else, based on differences in state antitrust law. Your state determines which pool you’re in.

Sources Used in This Disney Antitrust Article

• Official Settlement Website — Biddle v. Disney: https://www.onlinetvsettlement.com/
• Long Form Notice — Biddle, et al. v. The Walt Disney Company, No. 5:22-cv-07317-EJD, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California: https://onlinetvsettlement.com/Content/Documents/Long%20Form%20Notice.pdf

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.