New York — Sling TV Discontinues One-Day Cable Pass Option

A streaming option that let cord-cutters buy a single day of cable programming is gone. Dish Network's streaming service has discontinued its short-term cable passes, which allowed customers to watch channels such as ESPN and CNN without committing to a full monthly subscription, according to The Verge, which cited reporting from The Desk.

The feature, known as Sling Pass, offered three tiers: a one-day pass, a weekend pass and a week-long pass. It launched in 2025 as a way to let viewers pay for access to live sports or news events without signing up for a traditional package.

What did the passes let customers do?

The day, weekend and week-long options were built for viewers who wanted a single game, tournament or breaking-news cycle rather than month after month of channels. The pitch competed directly with the kind of a-la-carte access that traditional pay-TV bundles have historically withheld from casual viewers.

In a statement posted to its website and cited by The Verge, the company framed the passes as part of a broader push toward viewer flexibility: "Sling was built to give our customers the ultimate control over their entertainment, and Sling Passes delivered on that promise for millions." The statement added that passes "are no longer available" but that the company "look[s] forward to continuing to innovate and showing our customers new ways to experience the content they love."

Why did programmers sue over the feature?

Shortly after the short-term passes launched, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery sued, according to The Verge's report. The companies, which supply channels including ESPN and CNN to pay-TV distributors, objected to the arrangement, though the specific contractual terms at issue were not detailed in the available reporting.

"Sling was built to give our customers the ultimate control over their entertainment, and Sling Passes delivered on that promise for millions."

That quote, pulled from the company's own statement, is the only on-the-record comment from the business itself addressing the shutdown. Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery did not issue public statements referenced in the sourcing reviewed for this story.

How did the lawsuit play out in court?

A federal judge ruled against Disney's request for a preliminary injunction that would have blocked the day-pass feature outright, The Verge reported. That ruling allowed the short-term passes to keep operating for a period even as litigation continued. The available reporting does not specify the court, the judge's name, or the final disposition of the underlying lawsuit beyond the denial of the injunction request.

When did the shutdown take effect?

Based on the timeline laid out in The Verge's reporting:

• 2025 — Sling Pass launches, offering day, weekend and week-long cable access.
• Shortly after launch — Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery file suit over the feature.
• During litigation — A federal judge denies Disney's request for a preliminary injunction to halt the passes.
• Oct. 2, 2026 — The Verge reports, citing The Desk, that the company has pulled the passes entirely and notified customers by email.

What comes next for customers who used the passes?

The company's statement does not announce a direct replacement for the short-term option, saying only that it will keep looking for "new ways" to deliver content access. Customers who relied on the day or weekend passes for live sports or breaking news coverage are now left with the standard monthly subscription tiers as the remaining option for watching channels like ESPN and CNN through the service.

The Desk's report, cited secondhand in The Verge's story, indicates the company sent a notice directly to subscribers informing them of the change, though the full text of that customer email was not reproduced in the available sourcing.

Neither Disney nor Warner Bros. Discovery has issued a public statement on the discontinuation itself, according to the reporting reviewed. It remains unclear from available sources whether the shutdown resolves the underlying litigation or whether the lawsuit continues independent of the product change.