Adding details from media report, background and response from DirecTV in paragraphs 2-6
Sept 13 (Reuters) - AT&T Inc T.N and joint-venture partner TPG Inc TPG.O are in talks to combine their DirecTV service with Dish DISH.MX, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The discussions between DirecTV and Dish parent EchoStar Corp SATS.O are in early stages, people told Bloomberg News, cautioning that an agreement has yet been reached.
"Rumors about a potential transaction involving DirecTV and Dish are , but we don't comment on rumors and speculation," a spokesperson for DirecTV said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
Dish and AT&T did immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments outside of business hours. TPG declined to comment.
DirecTV is facing a public battle with Disney DIS.N that has led to 11 million DirecTV customers losing access to ESPN in the middle of the U.S. Open tennis tournament.
The dispute is taking place against the backdrop of a competing plan by Disney, Fox FOXA.O and Warner Bros Discovery WBD.O to launch a streaming video joint venture devoted to sports, called Venu Sports.
The launch was temporarily blocked by a court injunction as part of a lawsuit filed by sports streaming rival FuboTV accusing the media companies of anticompetitive behavior.
(Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi and Dawn Chmielewski; Editing by Sandra Maler and Rosalba O'Brien)