Dish Network has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Disney in an escalating legal battle over Sling TV‘s first-of-its-kind short-term offerings, which allow users to sign up for as little as one day at a fraction of the full monthly subscription cost. The case opens another front in clashes relating to the legality of bundling and could present a threat to programmers whose business models are dependent on restraining distributors’ ability to package channels and subscription periods. Sling TV’s short-term pass offerings and the resulting legal drama reflects ongoing tension in content distribution. The rigid content licensing models Disney contends Dish is bound by run up against the on-demand experience viewers expect. And Dish — looking beyond today’s subscription model ecosystem — recognizes there’s demand for pay-as-you-want content access. It’s been framing its fight against Disney as one for consumers, a case that challenges the old guard’s pricing playbook. It has said it’s putting “control back in the hands of subscribers” amid a shift “toward competition that puts consumer value ahead of monopolistic control.” Beyond that, …