DirecTV Acquires Dish, Sling TV for $1, Assumes Debt

EL SEGUNDO, CA — DirecTV announced Monday its acquisition of Dish Network and Sling TV for $1, along with the assumption of debt.

The deal is reported to close in the fourth quarter of 2025 and aims to better position DirecTV against dominant streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu.

DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow stated that the acquisition would allow the company to streamline operations, offer more affordable content packages, and attract customers who have left satellite services. DirecTV and Dish have lost 63% of their satellite customer base since 2016, according to reports. 

This merger is a revival of previous attempts at combining the two satellite companies, with a merger blocked by the Federal Communications Commission over two decades ago due to antitrust concerns. 

EchoStar, Dish’s parent company, reportedly stands to gain a lifeline from the deal, as it faced mounting debt and a forecast of negative cash flow for the remainder of the year. The company reported $521 million in cash on hand but also has $1.98 billion of debt maturing in November. EchoStar’s stock rose 3% following the announcement.

DirecTV expects to base the new combined company in El Segundo, California and hopes the merger will also provide operational efficiencies and better partnerships with content providers.