LAS VEGAS — The retransmission agreement between Scripps and DirecTV expired at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, causing 54 local television stations to go dark for DirecTV subscribers across 36 markets. The blackout began just before major live events, including Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, as well as upcoming state and local primary elections in June and the NBA and NHL finals on ABC and the U.S. Open golf tournament on NBC.
DirecTV said Scripps is demanding the highest rates the satellite provider has ever received from a station group, which would dramatically raise costs for consumers and businesses. After declining those terms and seeking a more reasonable agreement, DirecTV said Scripps chose to remove its stations from the lineup. Rob Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV, said the company understands customers are frustrated by temporarily losing access to local news, network programming, and live sports. He added that Scripps is demanding unprecedented rates for programming that remains available for free over-the-air and through various streaming apps. DirecTV remains committed to protecting customers from unnecessary cost increases while working to restore access to the affected stations.
The company said it has been negotiating in good faith to reach an equitable agreement that serves both companies and consumers. It stated that DirecTV elected to remove its stations using heavy-handed tactics that treat subscribers as bargaining chips. Scripps emphasized that at stake is viewers’ access to trusted local journalism, critical weather alerts, emergency information, and live sports that strengthen community bonds. The company noted its stations have gone dark only twice since the 1940s.
Scripps CEO Adam Symson blamed DirecTV’s management for the impasse, saying, “They’re run by private equity. They have MBAs running the numbers. I don’t really think they care about the work we do in the local communities and that local people actually rely on, whether it’s local news or local sports.”
Markets affected include Las Vegas, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Boise, Lexington, Omaha, and West Palm Beach. Scripps urged viewers to access its programming free over-the-air with an antenna or through services like Tablo TV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo. DirecTV suggested alternatives such as the Hulu or Disney+ apps for sports content.