diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index 2d09298559..0d75f381ee 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
         `Player.EVENT_MEDIA_METADATA_CHANGED` for convenient access to
         structured metadata, or access the raw static metadata directly from the
         `TrackSelection#getFormat()`.
+    *   Deprecate `ControlDispatcher` and `DefaultControlDispatcher`. Use a
+        `ForwardingPlayer` or configure the player to customize operations.
 *   Remove deprecated symbols:
     *   Remove `Player.getPlaybackError`. Use `Player.getPlayerError` instead.
     *   Remove `Player.getCurrentTag`. Use `Player.getCurrentMediaItem` and
diff --git a/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ControlDispatcher.java b/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ControlDispatcher.java
index 02eb54c756..a24131e956 100644
--- a/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ControlDispatcher.java
+++ b/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ControlDispatcher.java
@@ -17,13 +17,8 @@ package com.google.android.exoplayer2;
 
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.Player.RepeatMode;
 
-/**
- * Dispatches operations to the {@link Player}.
- *
- * <p>Implementations may choose to suppress (e.g. prevent playback from resuming if audio focus is
- * denied) or modify (e.g. change the seek position to prevent a user from seeking past a
- * non-skippable advert) operations.
- */
+/** @deprecated Use a {@link ForwardingPlayer} or configure the player to customize operations. */
+@Deprecated
 public interface ControlDispatcher {
 
   /**
diff --git a/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultControlDispatcher.java b/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultControlDispatcher.java
index 2af71da50f..b20daebefb 100644
--- a/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultControlDispatcher.java
+++ b/library/common/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/DefaultControlDispatcher.java
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ package com.google.android.exoplayer2;
 import static java.lang.Math.max;
 import static java.lang.Math.min;
 
-/** Default {@link ControlDispatcher}. */
+/** @deprecated Use a {@link ForwardingPlayer} or configure the player to customize operations. */
+@Deprecated
 public class DefaultControlDispatcher implements ControlDispatcher {
 
   private final long rewindIncrementMs;