Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a federal lawsuit against Dish Network, alleging that the company’s new Sling TV “Passes” breach their distribution agreements and threaten the traditional subscription model for pay television.
The complaint, filed September 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claims Dish launched its Day, Week, and Weekend Passes without approval or consultation. The plans, priced between $4.99 and $14.99, offer temporary access to networks including TNT, CNN, TBS, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, and Food Network.
Warner Bros. Discovery argues the packages allow customers to buy short-term access to premium programming, such as major sporting events or live broadcasts, without subscribing to a monthly plan. The company contends this undermines long-standing business models built on monthly fees and risks, prompting other distributors to seek similar terms.
The lawsuit accuses Dish of breach of contract and seeks injunctive relief to block Sling from continuing to sell the packages. According to the complaint, Warner Bros. Discovery sent a cease-and-desist notice before filing suit, but Dish refused to withdraw the program. “Dish’s actions are causing and will continue to cause irreparable harm to programmers,” the filing states.
The company also warns that Sling’s short-term offerings could disrupt its relationships with other distribution partners, some of whom have already expressed interest in similar arrangements. Warner Bros. Discovery claims that these products transform premium television content into a low-cost, pay-per-view model, posing a threat to the subscription-based revenue model that the industry heavily relies on.
Dish, through its parent company EchoStar, defended the initiative as a consumer-friendly innovation. A spokesperson said Sling TV’s Passes “break the mold of expensive, rigid bundles” and put control in the hands of subscribers by offering more flexible access to live television.
The lawsuit follows a similar complaint filed in August by Disney and ESPN over the same Sling TV products.
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