LOS ANGELES — The confetti has barely settled in Santa Clara following Super Bowl 60, but the clock is already ticking on the biggest broadcast shift in NFL history. On Wednesday, ESPN officially dropped its “Year of the Super Bowl” roadmap, a massive 12-month content blitz leading up to the network’s first-ever Super Bowl broadcast on Feb. 14, 2027.
For the first time since the network launched in 1979, the Super Bowl will air on ESPN (simulcast on ABC). The network isn’t just treating this as a game; they are treating it as a hostile takeover of the sports calendar. The initiative, which launched Sunday night with “The Handoff” between Chris Berman and Scott Van Pelt, signals that Disney is throwing every asset it has from theme parks to podcasts at Super Bowl 61.
The Bristol Blitz
The “Year of the Super Bowl” campaign isn’t subtle. It started the second Super Bowl 60 ended. Scott Van Pelt anchored a 90-minute special from SoFi Stadium on Sunday night, standing on the very turf where the next champion will be crowned. The message was clear: The torch has passed.
Andy Tennant, ESPN’s vice president of Super Bowl planning, emphasized the weight of this moment.
“I never thought I’d have the opportunity to work on an ESPN Super Bowl… We’re the first 24/7 sports network to ever be a rights holder to broadcast the Super Bowl. We see that not only as an opportunity, but we see it as a responsibility.” — Andy Tennant, ESPN VP of Super Bowl Planning
Content Rollout: 61 Stories for Super Bowl 61
ESPN is flooding the zone with history. The network premiered “I Scored a Touchdown,” a series spotlighting 61 players who found the end zone in the big game. The opener? New York Giants hero David Tyree—though not for the helmet catch you remember, but for his touchdown grab earlier in that same game.
Jeremy Schaap also launched “The Biggest Game” podcast this week. His first guest was fittingly Chris Berman, the man who has covered 44 consecutive Super Bowls and remains the spiritual godfather of ESPN’s NFL coverage.
Disney’s Full-Court Press
This isn’t just an ESPN play; it’s a Disney play. A 60-second spot titled “We’re Going” is already airing, mashing up NFL stars with Disney icons. Expect to see Mickey Mouse and Monday Night Football collide more frequently as we march toward February 2027.
What This Means for 2027
Super Bowl 61 will be played at SoFi Stadium, marking the venue’s second title game (following the Rams’ win in SB 56). With ESPN and ABC sharing the broadcast, viewership records are in danger. The last time ABC aired the game was Super Bowl 40 in 2006. Two decades later, the media giant finally has the keys to the castle again.
Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman, summed up the strategy: “Across our platforms, screens, and parks, we’ll build momentum throughout the year toward Super Bowl 61.”
The countdown is on. 368 days to go.
