ESPN has been televising live sports into America’s homes for nearly 50 years … but it’s never had a Super Bowl.
But in one year, that changes. The Walt Disney Co. will have the rights to Super Bowl LXI in 2027, with ESPN and ABC set to broadcast the big game. And Disney is going all-out to get the word out, with what it calling “The year of the Super Bowl.”
“In Bristol [where ESPN is headquartered], we have a countdown clock in our cafeteria that has been counting down to kick off on February 14 of next year,” says Andy Tennant, VP of Super Bowl production for ESPN, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “The idea for us was the Super Bowl is such a massive opportunity, it’s a It’s not just a sporting event, it’s a massive cultural event. And so we’re actually approaching the Super Bowl in a way where we want to create a year long conversation.”
That conversation began immediately after Super Bowl LX ended on Sunday, with Chris Berman ceremonially “handing off” to Scott Van Pelt, with Berman at Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl XL and Van Pelt at SoFi Stadium, home of Super Bowl LXI on ESPN and ABC, and with select ESPN studio shows originating from Disneyland in Anaheim.
On Monday morning, the Disney synergy really kicked into gear, with the company turning the iconic “I’m going to Disney World!” phrase of Super Bowl MVPs dating back to Phil Simms in 1987. The spot, “We’re Going” features more than 60 Disney characters and personalities declaring that they’re going… to the Super Bowl.
“We’ve got the greatest collection of IP on the planet with the Walt Disney Company, and all of our IP in this marketing campaign are celebrating the fact that they’re going to be going to the Super Bowl, so it’s totally flipping them on its head,” Tennant says.
But that was just the beginning, on Wednesday, ESPN announced plans for a massive Super Bowl-related content slate, like a series called I Scored a Touchdown, which will highlight every player to score during the NFL’s biggest game; and a weekly podcast called The Biggest Game, hosted by Jeremy Schaap (the first guest will be Berman). The company is promising more content, around events like the NFL Draft, as well as other fan experiences and programming with other Disney talent and characters.
“Our plans are to talk Super Bowl all year long, and we’re going to do that through we’re going to do that through what I think we do best, which is create through storytelling and experiences across ESPN, ABC and the Walt Disney Company,” Tennant says.
And of course Disney’s Advertising will have “a suite of premium opportunities” for marketers to buy into, up to an including the Big Game.
It’s a big deal for Disney, which will then be under the leadership of CEO Josh D’Amaro. For the last couple decades, only NBC, CBS and Fox have broadcast the Big Game. ABC last had the rights in 2006.
“With the full strength of The Walt Disney Company and in collaboration with the NFL, ESPN has embarked on a year-long Super Bowl celebration,” said ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro in a statement. “This fan-focused initiative unites our Company’s beloved brands with industry-leading storytelling and technology to showcase football’s greatest stories, heroes, and moments like never before. Across our platforms, screens, and parks, we’ll build momentum throughout the year toward Super Bowl LXI — a monumental event for sports fans everywhere and for ESPN.”
