Disney and the NFL are teaming up for Fanatics Fest NYC 2026, and the announcement video alone is worth the price of admission. Disney shared a new clip on social media showing NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hopping on a video call with Mickey Mouse for some friendly advice ahead of the collaboration. When Mickey tells him to smile more, Goodell laughs it off with, “OK, I’ll try it your way, thanks Mickey.”
The video sets the stage for a bigger partnership between Disney, the NFL, and Champion at this year’s Fanatics Fest NYC, a four-day sports fan festival running July 16 through 19 at the Javits Center in New York City. On opening day, Thursday, July 16, Goodell and sports journalist Taylor Rooks will host an event that Disney says will reimagine a beloved sports tradition through, in their words, an unmistakably Disney lens. Disney hasn’t detailed exactly what that tradition is yet, so we’ll be watching for more specifics as the event gets closer.
Throughout the full run of Fanatics Fest, attendees can also visit the Disney Fan Zone, which Disney Consumer Products describes as a space featuring exclusive merchandise and surprise-and-delight Disney moments mixed in with the sports fan experience.
Our Take: This is a fun, low-stakes crossover that plays well for both fan bases, and putting Goodell and Mickey Mouse together in one clip is a smart way to get people talking before the event even happens. We’d tell a friend to keep an eye on this one if you’re headed to Fanatics Fest NYC, since Disney tends to bring genuine surprises to these fan zone activations rather than just slapping a logo on a booth. We’re curious to see what “an unmistakably Disney lens” actually looks like applied to an NFL tradition, and we’ll have more once Disney shares details.
Roger Goodell Mickey Mouse Video Teases Disney-NFL Fanatics Fest Event
