Media giant Disney, the domestic broadcaster for NFL flagship Super Bowl finale in 2027, has sold out its advertising inventory in record time.
Announced by Disney a full month before the NFL’s 2026-27 season starts, it is now the earliest that a Super Bowl broadcaster has confirmed a sold-out ad inventory and the second year in a row the record has been broken.
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Last year, Comcast’s US media giant NBC Universal set the record after announcing the complete sale of its ad inventory in September, days before the start of the 2025-26 season. Before that, Fox sold out of its inventory by November 2024.
Disney is set to air Super Bowl LXI, being staged at California’s SoFi Stadium on February 14, 2027, on television network ABC, as well as sports broadcaster ESPN’s range of outlets, including linear channels ESPN and ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes, and the ESPN streaming service.
Driven by the popularity of live sports and strong NFL ratings, 58 brands in 34 different categories have bought an ad space, with nine first-time advertisers.
As well as advertising slots, Disney is planning integrations with those advertisers across its programming and on site, including at ESPN beach, the company’s planned takeover of the Santa Monica Pier around the game.
Disney had reportedly been seeking $10 million for a 30-second ad slot to rival the average $8 million per 30-second slot obtained by NBCU last year. However, reports have now placed the unit figure in the range of $8 million to $9 million each.
The Super Bowl has become a beacon for brands looking to launch new campaigns and products, with the spots becoming an event in of themselves.
The announcement comes at the same time the company said it closed its 2026-27 upfront negotiations, with total volume commitments increasing to double digits and sports volume up in the low-teens compared to last year.
Upfront advertising is the sales period when major advertisers commit to buying airtime and digital ad inventory before a broadcast season begins.
Rita Ferro, Disney’s global advertising president, said: “Our Upfront and a sold-out Super Bowl LXI make it clear: brands see Disney as a must-have investment – one built on our ability to deliver audiences at scale, across live events and streaming, all year long.
“That momentum carries through our live event calendar too – from The Oscars and The GRAMMYs to New Year's Rockin' Eve, the College Football Playoff, and the CMA Awards, advertisers keep showing up for the can't-miss moments only Disney can deliver.”
