The first Super Bowl to be broadcast on Walt Disney Media Properties in 20 years is still months away, but so far the company has used popular hosts such as Scott Van Pelt and Stephen A. Smith, as well as famous animated characters such as Buzz Lightyear and Iron Man, to draw attention to the next big game. Now they are adding more firepower.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will have a notable walk-on role in ESPN’s upcoming promotion, reminding viewers of Super Bowl XI in 2027. There, Goodell will join a meeting that will include some of the sports media giant’s biggest names, including Mike Greenberg, Lisa Salters, Laura Rutledge, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Steelers mascot Steely McBeam and ESPN mascot App-E will appear in honor of the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday in Pittsburgh.
The NFL boss acted as if he was calling the final draft decision, telling those gathered after giving ESPN the honor of Super Bowl 61: He then gave App-E an awkward hug and said “Congratulations on your first Super Bowl” to Buck, who has appeared in the past six Super Bowls.
The humorous spot is part of Disney’s yearlong effort to get audiences excited about Super Bowl plans. If ESPN and ABC televise Super Bowl XI from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, it will be broadcast on Sunday, February 14th (Valentine’s Day), with Monday being President’s Day, a federal holiday.
Getting Goodell on board is like inviting the CEO of Disney. In February, the league acquired a 10% stake in ESPN, the result of a deal with NFL Network that made NFL Red Zone part of ESPN’s operations.
Joe Fox, ESPN’s senior vice president of marketing, said in a statement that the promotion, like previous Super Bowl previews, is intended to “invite fans along as ESPN prepares to produce its first-ever Super Bowl.” “Each new creative, like the game itself, is an opportunity to celebrate a Super Bowl year in a big, fun and unexpected way. Authenticity is at the core of how we appear on ESPN, and as a Draft-inspired spot, Commissioner Goodell’s involvement was essential. We’re grateful to him and the NFL for helping make this happen for one of the league’s biggest moments.”
Under the terms of Disney’s contract with the NFL, “The Manning Cast,” the popular “Monday Night Football” simulcast featuring plenty of commentary and chatter from Peyton and Eli Manning and their guests, will also air on ESPN2. Meanwhile, there’s a lot of conversation about leveraging different parts of Disney’s media empire to engage other audiences who might not normally tune in to football spectacles.
Disney is already actively working on monetization. The company is seeking about $10 million for a 30-second commercial at the 2027 Gridiron Classic, according to four people familiar with the matter. So far, media buyers are holding their ground, waiting to see if Disney lowers its price expectations.
This game is a reliable source of income. Fox announced in May 2025 that it generated $800 million worth of revenue from its first Super Bowl telecast. And the audience continues to grow, something that can’t be said for scripted series in the streaming era.
