Disney's Upfront Went Hard on Sports — With an Off-Key Manning Brothers Musical — but Hardly Mentioned ABC
Peyton and Eli Manning really want to develop their acting careers, if Disney's upfront show is to be believed.
The Mouse House highlighted its sports programming more than anything else during its annual presentation to ad buyers Tuesday in New York City, parading the Mannings and several other star athletes in front of ad buyers and even connecting scripted Disney content back to what happens on the court and field.
More from Variety
Disney's Dana Walden to CNBC's James Cramer: Streaming 'Is a Growth Business for Our Company'
Jimmy Kimmel Takes On Bob Iger, Netflix and Gen Z's YouTube Habits in Upfronts Monologue: 'When You Have Kids, You'll Come Crawling Back to Disney Like Dogs!"
Krysten Ritter Officially Returning as Jessica Jones for 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2
The presentation opened with a marching band performance that lasted for more than five minutes, made up of musicians from Jackson State and Delaware State plus a gameday-ready Mickey Mouse as drum major. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley were next to take the stage at New York's Javits Center, with Mahomes praising the 'boldly original, fiercely competitive, undoubtedly magical' storytelling that makes Disney 'the ultimate M.V.P.' before introducing Iger.
And though Iger made mention of Disney's newly announced theme park in Abu Dhabi and generally shouted out the company's work across entertainment and news, he was most specific in his excitement for sports programming — making a humble brag about the amount of time he's spent with the footballers and thanking them for the highlights they bring to ESPN before emphasizing that Disney is home to 'the most live sports hours in the industry' across its many platforms.
The Mannings were the next big piece of the show. After a sizzle reel of various Disney programs cued up by Iger, Eli said he only had 'one note' for the company: 'Not enough Mannings.' He and Peyton then presented all of the company's 'M.V.P. IP' through song. With backup dancers and botched high notes galore, they suggested that they take over the top billing positions in ABC's 'High Potential,' 'Abbott Elementary' and 'Good Morning America' plus Hulu's 'Paradise' and 'Only Murders in the Building.'
At five minutes, the bit overstayed its welcome, but they get points for their puns: They proposed replacing Kaitlin Olson's 'High Potential' cleaning lady with a 'cleaning Manning,' and renaming the other shows to 'Abbott Eli Manning-tary,' 'Good Manning America,' 'Pey-radise' and 'Only Mannings in the Building.'
As per usual, groupings of high-profile cast members from across the Disney portfolio came out to talk about their shows and cue up footage. Among them were Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short from 'Only Murders in the Building'; Jeremy Allen-White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach from 'The Bear' (with all three mentioning the Disney-backed films they also act in); Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope and Ashton Kutcher from Ryan Murphy's upcoming FX horror series 'The Beauty'; and Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson, Glenn Close and Teyana Taylor from Hulu's upcoming legal drama (another Murphy show) 'All's Fair,' with series lead Kim Kardashian introducing them in a pre-recorded video.
The scripted shows that got the most extensive segments were all from major Disney franchises. Following a creepy intro by Darth Vader, Diego Luna and Hayden Christensen noted that this year is the 20th anniversary of 'Revenge of the Sith' and remarked on the ubiquity of Star Wars fans worldwide — while emphasizing that the entirety of the franchise streams on Disney+, including the 'Andor' Season 2 finale which would debut just hours after the upfront.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe was the subject of the presentation's biggest news — that Krysten Ritter will reprise the role of Jessica Jones in 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 — complete with Ritter and series lead Charlie Cox in person, followed by Sir Ben Kingsley, who spoke about his new MCU show 'Wonder Man.' That led into the most exciting footage of the day, a trailer for 'Alien: Earth' presented by stars Timothy Olyphant, Sydney Chandler and Babou Ceesay.
And as the industry leader in family programming, Disney also paired Ginnifer Goodwin with Auliʻi Cravalho to shout out the upcoming theatrical releases of 'Zootopia 2' and 'Moana 2,' while also mentioning the massive Disney+ viewership achieved by the original films in both of those series.
Still, everything came back to sports. Disney's global advertising president Rita Ferro opened her spiel by celebrating the New York Knicks' win the night before, and though her focus was ad infrastructure across the Disney portfolio, ESPN was the only brand she mentioned specifically. Even during a presentation from Ryan Seacrest, best known for hosting competitions and holiday programs, sports made up half of the live events broadcasts that were called out.
Other segments were led by NBA commentator Stephen A. Smith, who spoke about ESPN's new streaming app; football and basketball analysts Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter, who announced new women-led sports commentary show 'Vibe Check'; University of Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian and ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge, who spoke about ABC and ESPN's college football offerings; and ESPN anchor Joe Buck and former quarterback and current ABC/ESPN anchor Troy Aikman plus Barkley and Eagles center Jason Kelsce, who focused on pro football.
When Glen Powell appeared to discuss his upcoming Hulu football comedy 'Chad Powers,' he was introduced by the Mannings, who executive produce the series. They returned to the stage flanked by the marching band from the intro — this time led by Goofy instead of Mickey.
Throughout Disney's presentation, the most-used joke subject was Bill Belichik, most notably including Buck saying that the infamous football coach would soon come out to sing 'Endless Love' with his much younger girlfriend Jordon Hudson. (Pope Leo XIV came in second place for most mentions, with Martin Short saying he'd been told that there would be white smoke for each Disney show that was renewed and black smoke for the cancellations.)
As it further ramps up on sports content and continues to build out its several scripted franchises, Disney seems less invested in its broadcast television arm than ever.
ABC, the brand that would have dominated Disney's upfront in a previous era, was scarcely mentioned at the Javits Center. ABC talent Olson, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Robin Roberts did make brief comedic cameos to rebut the Mannings during their musical number, and Roberts reappeared later alongside David Muir to tout the success of 'Good Morning America' and ABC News. But none of ABC's primetime programming got its own segment, not even the network's only new show for the 2025-2026 season: '9-1-1: Nashville.' Despite Ryan Murphy-created shows on multiple other platforms receiving a spotlight throughout the presentation, the new '9-1-1' didn't come up until Jimmy Kimmel's closing monologue, and he didn't mention it by name — or favorably.
'At ABC, we ordered one new show, and it's a spinoff of an old show, which really begs the question: What are we doing here?' said the 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' host, who was the only ABC talent to take the stage for more than a minute. 'We risked our lives flying into Newark for this? I mean, if you went to a restaurant and the waiter said, 'Our special tonight is last year's fish,' would you eat it? No, you would not. Our fish is not fresh. But you know what we do have: Season grandmotherfucking 2 of 'The Golden Bachelor.' Say what you will about ABC — we are still the only network where you can see Pop Pop get a squeezer in a hot tub. 'The Golden Bachelor' and Season 34 of 'Dancing with the Stars.' At ABC, we know what young people want to see, and it's not us.'
Of course, those jokes were safe enough to make in front of ad buyers, given that the rest of the presentation focused on the only kind of broadcast programming that hasn't lost viewers in the streaming era: sports. And that won't change anytime soon — unless the Mannings find someone to greenlight the musical comedy series they seem to be dreaming up.
Best of Variety
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz
Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
ESPN Anchor Gives Prognosis Before He Undergoes Cancer Surgery
Longtime ESPN anchor Jay Harris said Thursday he has prostate cancer and will undergo surgery next week. (Watch the video below.) The 'SportsCenter' veteran said on 'Good Morning America' he'll be away from work for about a month, 'and then I'm coming back better than ever.' Asked by host Michael Strahan about the prognosis, Harris replied, 'My doctor is quite optimistic. Per my last scan, nothing has spread. So once we take out the prostate, hopefully that'll be it.' Harris said he has been taking advice from 'SportsCenter' colleague Hannah Storm, who recently announced she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Harris also said he has received 'real talk' from another ESPN personality, Brian Custer, a prostate cancer survivor. Harris, 60, has been on the 'SportsCenter' desk since 2003. He said he wanted to share his diagnosis to encourage Black men to get the conversation going about their health issues. 'By not talking about them,' he said, 'we ... sentence ourselves to death by not talking.' ESPN And Anchor Part Ways After 25 Years -- And His Goodbye Is Bittersweet Shannon Sharpe Will 'Step Aside' From ESPN Amid $50 Million Sexual Assault Lawsuit ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Seriously Considering Running For President
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Pianists from across the world go for glory at international competition
The world's best young classical piano players are going for glory at an international piano competition in Texas this week. The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is named for the famed American concert pianist. The competition, held every four years, is considered by some to be the Olympics of the piano world, pitting young pianists from across the globe against each other in a two and a half week event. According to the competition's website, this year had 340 applicants. Only 28 were invited to compete. Six competitors are this year's finalists. Far from home, some find support in their host families in Fort Worth, Texas, who have a front row seat to the music in their homes. Dr. Stephen and Michelle Maberry were a host family for 23-year-old Yanjun Chen, who made it to the semifinals of the competition this year. Practice sessions — sometimes a few hours long — became personal concerts and turned everyday chores into a sweet serenade. "Oh my gosh, it's wonderful. We love the arts. We love the music and so waking up to hearing that or late night hearing it is fantastic," said Michelle Maberry. For David Maberry, the couple's son, the musical alarm clock seemed like a fairy tale. "I wake up and the light is coming through my blinds and it feels like a Disney movie when I wake up in the morning (with this music playing) … it's amazing," he said. Competitors like Chen keep busy schedules, packed with practice time. "I try to pick sections that are difficult then try to practice them slowly and then get to a normal tempo or just imagining that I'm performing just running through the piece helps too," she said. When Chen isn't rehearsing, she spends time with her host family and plays music to relax. "The mom just comes out in you … you just want to nurture them and take care of them and help them and do whatever it takes to help them succeed," Michelle Maberry said. Chen's emotional performance in the first round drew a standing ovation from the crowd. When she stepped off of the stage, Chen signed autographs and spoke with concertgoers before the Maberrys rushed to greet her. "I was probably more nervous for her that she was," Michelle Maberry admitted. "I said you're going to do great. Good vibes, positive energy, and you know what? She knocked it out of the ball park." While Chen's Van Cliburn journey ended in the semifinals, her passion as a pianist will continue. For the Maberry family, the music she left in their home will echo for years to come. Sneak peek: Where is Jermain Charlo? Hegseth orders Navy to rename USNS Harvey Milk, Jeffries calls it "a complete and total disgrace" FEMA, Trump administration react to sources saying chief did not know U.S. had a hurricane season
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Harvey Fierstein, on eve of Tony honor, looks back on his career
NEW YORK (AP) — Last year, Broadway actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein handed director Jack O'Brien the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. This year, it's his turn. 'Following him is not an easy task. In fact, I spoke to him and he said, 'I just want to put my name in there as someone who would love to give you the award.' And I said, 'Well, I'd rather you didn't.' I said, 'I'd rather you wrote my speech,'' Fierstein says. Fierstein, the four-time Tony winner behind 'Torch Song Trilogy' and 'Kinky Boots,' will get the award Sunday at Radio City Music Hall. He connected by Zoom from his home in 'a small fictional town in Connecticut' to talk about his career and a Broadway season dominated by George Clooney in 'Good Night, and Good Luck' and Denzel Washington in 'Othello.' The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: Do you know what you're going to say on Tony night? FIERSTEIN: I never know what I'm going to say. But I have been trying to gather thoughts, which I guess is a good idea. And I watched at least five or six lifetime achievements speeches by others. AP: Has the honor triggered any personal thoughts? FIERSTEIN: I did write a line that may or may not end up in my speech, saying that the most humbling thing is to think that my life meant something to the community. It's one thing to be enjoyed, but to have the kind of meaning that they turn around and say, 'We want to give you a lifetime achievement'? That's a very heady idea. AP: Was a lifetime in the theater inevitable? FIERSTEIN: No, no, no. I guess there are theatrical types, but art was always inevitable. I was sort of artistic, but I thought I'd maybe be a Disney animator. I don't think I ever believed I was good enough to create the Disney characters, but there were people that took the creation and then did the other drawings. I thought I could do that. Something in the arts. I had my BA in painting from Pratt. That's what I thought was going to do. AP: You arrived on Broadway just as AIDS was consuming the arts. What was Broadway like then? FIERSTEIN: There was no time to think about it. We had to go to war immediately. If you remember, Ronald Reagan never said the word 'AIDS' in eight years. There was no attack against the disease; there was only an attack against people. People wouldn't go to restaurants because there were gay waiters. There were people that wouldn't go to Broadway because there were gay people. They might be in the audience with gay people. AP: You work has always been about compassion. Why didn't you want to burn it all down? FIERSTEIN: My writing is telling stories that mean something to me. And certainly there's hatred and there's anger in my stories — and truth — as far as I can tell them. But the horrible truth is that no matter how badly we act as human beings, there's still a humanity under it all. AP: What are your thoughts about the current Broadway season? FIERSTEIN: Who would have guessed that we'd have a season where the plays were the big thing and the musicals are sort of ignored? Thanks to George and Denzel and these stars that return to Broadway — thankfully return to Broadway — and they've done these plays and it's wonderful. They're bringing an audience that maybe wouldn't go see a musical or a play. AP: Just get them to experience it, right? FIERSTEIN: Once you go to the theater, once you get in there and if you have a good time, if it does something, you're going to come back. I don't care why you came in the first place. Come back and see what else we have and open your mind and heart — and wallets. AP: What about the pipeline of playwrights — are you happy with it? FIERSTEIN: There are people that are in love with theater, certainly, but there are people that want to make a living. And those people seem to drift to television and movies. I have a nephew married to a wonderful woman who wants to be a writer, but what she wants to write is movies and TV. It wouldn't even interest her to write a play. I don't know why. It seems easier to write television. It seems easier to write a half-hour where you already are given the characters. AP: Congratulations again. You are beloved in this community and a lifetime achievement award seems appropriate. FIERSTEIN: I thought it was because they just wanted to give me something else to dust, because I ain't got enough stuff to dust here. ___ For more coverage of the 2025 Tony Awards, visit
