ESPN is not currently available on Spectrum due to an ongoing fee dispute between Disney (ESPN's parent company) and Charter Communications (Spectrum's parent company). Disney pulled ESPN and other channels from Spectrum in a blackout that affected millions of subscribers because both sides have not reached a new market-based carriage agreement. This blackout happened around late August 2023 and has caused frustration among sports fans missing prominent sports programming.

Additionally, Spectrum has launched some new streaming packages that do not include ESPN to lower costs, reflecting the high carriage fees Disney charges for ESPN networks relative to many other channels. This decision caters to customers who may not prioritize sports but results in ESPN being excluded from those packages as well.

In summary, the lack of ESPN on Spectrum is primarily caused by a negotiation impasse over fees between the two companies, rather than a technical or service issue. Both sides have expressed willingness to negotiate further, but no agreement has yet been reached to restore the channels to Spectrum customers.