• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stars alongside ESPN Super Bowl commentators, among others, in Draft-inspired creative

• Spot marks the latest moment in ESPN’s Year of the Super Bowl celebration

ESPN’s next chapter of its “We’re Going” creative campaign marks the latest milestone in the company’s Year of the Super Bowl celebration – a sweeping, 12 month, multi-platform effort building anticipation for ESPN’s first ever Super Bowl production in February 2027.

The second initiative of ESPN and Disney’s “We’re Going” Super Bowl LXI marketing campaign is set to debut during the first night of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 23. Titled “On the Clock,” the new spot follows the campaign’s initial creative, which premiered immediately after Super Bowl LX and helped launch ESPN’s Year of the Super Bowl.

Inspired by the NFL Draft, “On the Clock” stars NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell alongside ESPN’s Super Bowl commentators Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters, and Laura Rutledge, as well as Sunday NFL Countdown host Mike Greenberg. The spot also nods to this year’s Draft host city, Pittsburgh, featuring NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, with additional appearances by Pittsburgh Steelers mascot Steely McBeam and ESPN mascot App-E.

Bridging ESPN’s past and present, the creative tone of “On the Clock” mirrors the dry, situational humor that defined ESPN’s iconic This Is SportsCenter campaign, while reflecting the network’s evolving role as it prepares to present its first Super Bowl.

“‘We’re Going’ is about inviting fans along for the ride as ESPN prepares to produce its first Super Bowl,” said Jo Fox, Senior Vice President of Marketing at ESPN. “Each new piece of creative is an opportunity to celebrate our Year of the Super Bowl in a way that feels big, fun, and unexpected, just like the game itself. Authenticity is at the core of how we show up at ESPN, and for a Draft-inspired spot, having Commissioner Goodell involved was essential. We’re grateful to him and the NFL for helping bring this to life around one of the league’s biggest moments.”

The inaugural “We’re Going” spot that launched the campaign in February showcased the creative power of The Walt Disney Company, featuring more than 60 iconic characters from across the worlds of Disney in a high-energy celebration. That company-wide momentum will continue throughout the 2026–27 NFL season, with additional campaign elements rolling out in the lead up to ESPN’s first Super Bowl in February 2027.

Creative for “On the Clock” was developed by ESPN Creative Studio, ESPN’s in-house creative agency.

ESPN’s Year of the Super Bowl
ESPN’s Year of the Super Bowl is a yearlong initiative designed to elevate the Super Bowl experience for fans by uniting the storytelling power, innovation, and cultural reach of ESPN, Disney, and the NFL. 

Launched immediately following this past season’s Super Bowl, the initiative’s early rollout has included The Handoff activation with live shows from SoFi Stadium and Disneyland, the debut of the weekly I Scored a Touchdown series and The Biggest Game podcast, and the integration of the “We’re Going” campaign across several marquee moments and platforms. As the Year of the Super Bowl continues, ESPN and Disney will deliver new stories, celebratory moments, and creative activations that build anticipation and connect fans to the biggest game in sports year round.

ESPN, ABC & NFL Network showcase the 2026 NFL Draft across multiple platforms, April 23-25
ESPN and The Walt Disney Company will present the entire 2026 NFL Draft, with coverage across ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, the ESPN App, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes and ESPN’s social media platforms Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25, in Pittsburgh, Pa. New this year, Disney+ and Hulu will also stream ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes’ trio of NFL Draft presentations throughout the event—setting a record for the most platforms carrying the NFL Draft. Across all three days, fans can access 14 hours of coverage—capturing all 257 picks—across multiple distinct telecasts, including five offerings on night one. More information on ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft, click here. 

Disney NFL Draft advertising achieves records in ’26
Advertiser demand for the NFL Draft remains strong this year, achieving record ad unit rates. Representing 53 total categories, more than half of advertisers grew their NFL Draft budgets since last year.

Throughout NFL Draft Week, Disney has: 

• 135 total sponsorships across 30 advertisers, including 9 new advertisers, airing in NFL Draft coverage.
• Nearly 80 live sponsorship executions on Days 1, 2 and 3 on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network and ESPN Deportes.
• More than 50 surround sponsorship executions leading up to and throughout NFL Draft Week. 

All of ESPN. All in One Place.
ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited subscription, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able shortform vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package from certain providers. Bundling options available for fans include a Disney+, Hulu, ESPN offering that provides a one-of-a-kind streaming package combining sports with branded and general entertainment. For more visit stream.espn.com.