The quick summary:
The Super Bowl may be months away, but Disney already has its head in the game.
Heading into its upfront presentation from the Javits Center in New York on Tuesday, the company has Super Bowl LXI, the College Football Championship, the Grammys, and the Oscars, all within six weeks of each other in 2027. To showcase the advertising gravity of those live events, Disney tailored its upfront pitch around those tentpoles, while also promoting its other brands, including ESPN, Hulu, Disney+, ABC, and FX.
The company rolled out the red carpet for its stars, with Anne Hathaway introducing Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, Joe Buck and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell explaining Disney and the NFL’s expanded relationship, Jason Kelce bringing out Super Bowl MVPs such as Jerry Rice and Kurt Warner, and Robert Irwin and the Dancing with the Stars pros providing an upfront halftime performance.
Plus, Jimmy Kimmel, who has yet to be canceled by the FCC, took the stage to close things out.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you guys again either,” he joked, adding, “I’ve been through so much bullsh*t this year. It actually made me appreciate this bullsh*t.”
Among the announcements, the company gave more insight into its live event programming, from Conan O’Brien returning to the Oscars to a Super Bowl fan experience and a collaboration with the Savannah Bananas.
The biggest announcements:
Disney already announced that the Super Bowl would be a year-long celebration at the company, and now it’s giving more insight into what to expect.
ESPN and Disney will host a week-long content hub and fan experience on Santa Monica Beach ahead of the L.A.-area Super Bowl on Feb. 14, 2027. This includes a state-of-the-art ESPN Beach to anchor studio coverage, a free fan activation, and more experiences.
Other live event updates include Conan O’Brien coming back to host the 99th Oscars for the Mouse House, Disney extending its relationship with the CMAs through 2032, and the Grammys airing on ABC and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu on Feb. 7.
Disney’s also becoming the exclusive home of the Banana Bowl this fall thanks to a new partnership with the Savannah Bananas, who opened the upfront with a performance of “The Greatest Show” that would do Hugh Jackman proud. According to the company, the Banana Bowl will stream live on Disney+ and feature the top teams from the Banana Ball league facing off for the season championship.
And in an act of corporate synergy, internet personality and one of the bananas from the Savannah Bananas, Jackson Olson, will compete in Dancing with the Stars Season 35, joining The Traitors’ Maura Higgins and Summer House’s Ciara Miller.
