“Andy’s Room” to Host Toy Story Funday Football During Falcons-Jaguars Game From London

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 30, 2023

 

I watch football exactly one day a year – and sometimes not even then, if one of my family’s preferred teams hasn’t made it to the Big Game.  Yes, Super Bowl Sunday is the only time I park myself in front of the TV to “enjoy” that American pastime known as football.  On a typical week, I might supply a few “game day foods,” set them out on the coffee table, then disappear into a different room while the other family members yell at the television screen.

This Sunday, though, I might just be joining the family in front of the TV, though it will be a mite bit early for the usual nachos and mini-hot dogs.  At 9:30 a.m. (ET) Sunday morning (October 1, 2023), the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars will be kicking off from London in Week 4 of the NFL season.  And while the game will be televised traditionally in its usual form on ESPN+ (as well as local broadcast stations in the markets of the participating teams), it will also show up in a slightly different, alternate format, live on Disney+ and ESPN+ (and on mobile with NFL+).

 

Dubbed “Toy Story Funday Football,” the alternate game will simultaneously animate the Falcons-Jaguars game from Wembley Stadium in London, using the NFL’s Next Gen Stats player tracking data and motion-capture technology.  Instead of seeing the typical green, line-marked football field though, the Toy Story version will be brought to you in real time direct from Andy’s room.  (If you’ve been living under a rock – or the nearest bleacher - “Andy’s room” is where the Toy Story characters usually reside in the Disney animated film series, launched in 1995.) 

 

Among the characters appearing in the broadcast will be Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep, Bullseye, Bunny, Ducky, Forky, the Aliens, Jessie, Rex, and Slinky Dog, participating from the sidelines and in “non-gameplay elements.”

The real life football players themselves will appear on screen as animated football figures, and the special “half-time show” will feature Toy Story’s Duke Caboom undertaking a monumental motorcycle jump. While Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick, and Laura Rutledge will be calling the game from inside the London location for the live game, the Toy Story version of the show will be narrated by its own announcers, with Drew Carter providing the play-by-play, Booger McFarland as analyst, and 12-year old Pepper Persley as a reporter.  For family members who, like me, aren’t all that football-savvy, the day will feature educational elements teaching the game of football, including demonstrations with “how to” videos, trivia, and more.

 

Toy Story Funday Football is a first-of-its-kind NFL alternate presentation. “Fans will view every run, pass, score and all football-related action through state-of-the-art tracking technology,” assures ESPN, for those who might be worried that the Toy Story version might not be taking the game seriously enough, or be accurate in its entirety to the actual Falcons-Jaguars game.  In addition, for those die-hard fans watching the animated game, there will also be pre-recorded segments and interviews with the real Falcons and Jaguar players sprinkled into the broadcast.

 

If you are watching from outside the United States, the special presentation will be available in over 95 markets live and/or in replay, including Brazil, the UK, Mexico and France.  Video on Demand will also be available in many markets 24 hours after the live broadcast ends.

This novel NFL collaboration is a venture by ESPN, ESPN’s Edge Innovation Center, Disney, NFL, Pixar, Next Gen Stats, Beyond Sports, and Silver Spoon.

So, who is with me for my second football game of the year?  Pretty sure there will be a few football players “falling…with style!”

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

ESPN+ Price Hike Coming and What About NFL Sunday Ticket?

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 17, 2022

 

A price hike is coming for ESPN+ subscribers, according to a CNBC report, but not for those who subscribe via the Disney bundle, that is, Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu packaged together.

CNBC noted that the monthly subscription price for ESPN+ will be going from $6.99 per month to $9.99 as of August 23. The annual cost for ESPN+ would go from $69.99 to $99.99. The monthly bundle price will remain at $13.99.

 

ESPN+ has an impressive line-up for sports fans, including NHL hockey games and and PGA Tour Live. 

 

For good measure, Disney remains in the running for NFL Sunday Ticket, which allows viewers to have access to all out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. Sunday Ticket always has been on DirecTV, but that deal is due to expire at the end of the 2022 NFL season. The NFL has made clear that it wants a streaming partner, and Disney/ESPN, Apple and Amazon reportedly are in the mix. Also, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that a decision on NFL Ticket will come before the fall. Rumors swirl that Apple is in front to win, at least for now, as speculation has been quite fluid around this topic for some time now.

 

In addition, the NFL will soon be launching its own NFL+ streaming service.

 

The latest numbers show that ESPN+ has 22.3 million subscribers.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks here and the Kindle edition here. 

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.  

 

Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle at Amazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Disney Focused on Expanding ESPN/ESPN+ Line-Up

 by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 25, 2021

 

Disney’s push in expanding the live sports line-up on its ESPN+ streaming service, and ESPN and ABC cable/broadcast channels, has been impressive in recent months. And the company is in the conversation, as has been widely reported and we at DisneyBizJournal have been predicting, to grab NFL Sunday Ticket from DirecTV, where it’s been for 25-plus years.

Disney and Baseball

 

The most recent news regarding live sports came on May 13, with Disney announcing that its ESPN agreement with Major League Baseball would be extended, with a new deal covering 2022 through 2028. 

 

ESPN will televise 30 regular-season games annually, including 25 editions of Sunday Night Baseball, and five additional games, including the national Opening Night telecast. ESPN will continue to exclusively carry the Home Run Derby and will be able to simulcast all ESPN and ABC games on ESPN+.

 

In addition, if the MLB Wild Card Series is expanded, ESPN will exclusively televise all of it starting in 2022. However, if the current Wild Card format stays, then ESPN will exclusively televise one of the two MLB Wild Card Games and receive eight additional exclusive regular-season games each year. 

 

For good measure, ESPN+ not only will continue streaming a Major League Baseball game nearly every day of the season, but add new MLB content.

 

While this MLB deal is a reduction of regular season games on ESPN – from 90 games per season to 30 (or 38) – the relationship remains extensive between Disney and MLB. And as Chris Katje at Benzinga noted, “The new deal lowers ESPN’s annual fees from $700 million to $550 million while still keeping the best content.”

 

Disney and Football

 

This MLB agreement comes on top of the March 2021 deal with the NFL that runs through 2033. As DisneyBizJournal reported, Disney picked up two Super Bowls, and “ESPN keeps Monday Night Football, while adding six games each season, featuring three Monday night doubleheaders (with a game on ESPN followed by a game on ABC), a late-season Saturday doubleheader, and a Sunday morning game on ESPN+. Also, Monday Night Football will gain a ‘flex’ option starting in week 12 of the season to ensure better games. And ESPN will continue to air the NFL draft.”

 

Disney and Hockey

 

Also in March, Disney announced an extensive, seven-year deal with the NHL, running from the 2021-22 season through the 2027-28 season. As DisneyBizJournal noted, the deal includes the NHL.TV out-of-market subscription service moving exclusively to streaming as part of an ESPN+ subscription; the Stanley Cup finals on ABC in four of the seven years; half of the NHL playoff games on ABC and ESPN each year; and 25 NHL games exclusively on ESPN.

 

Disney and Golf

 

March also saw the announcement that ESPN+ would be the streaming home of PGA TOUR LIVE starting in 2022 and running through 2030. According to ESPN, that will cover “36 tournaments a year, including a full four days of coverage at 28 events with four simultaneous live feeds each day. PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ will also feature on-demand replays of PGA TOUR events, original golf programs, edited speed round recaps and more.”

 

Disney and Basketball

 

And finally, Disney is in the midst of a television deal with the NBA that it splits with TNT. That agreement expires after the 2024-25 season.

 

If Disney winds up arriving at a deal with the NFL for Sunday Ticket, ESPN+, along with ESPN, will become the clear live sports powerhouse. Expect already strong growth in ESPN+ subscriptions to accelerate.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Disney Expands Its Relationship with the NFL

by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

March 18, 2021 (Updated at 5:58 PM ET)

 

In a new deal, Disney has expanded its relationship with the NFL.

 

The NFL, as announced on March 18, has signed agreements with Disney (including ESPN, ABC and ESPN+), Fox, CBS, NBC, Amazon and NFL Network that cover national television coverage through the 2033 season. According to The New York Times, the complete package is worth about $110 billion.

 

ABC will pick up two Super Bowls. The NFL reported the Super Bowl breakdowns as follows: “From 2023 through 2033, three Super Bowls each will be hosted by CBS (2023, 2027, 2031), FOX (2024, 2028, 2032) and NBC (2025, 2029, 2033), while ABC (2026, 2030) will carry two.”

 

According to an ESPN report, ESPN keeps Monday Night Football, while adding six games each season, featuring three Monday night doubleheaders (with a game on ESPN followed by a game on ABC), a late-season Saturday doubleheader, and a Sunday morning game on ESPN+. Also, Monday Night Football will gain a “flex” option starting in week 12 of the season to ensure better games. And ESPN will continue to air the NFL draft.

 

Amazon pulled off a major gain by getting exclusive coverage of Thursday Night Football (with local broadcast coverage of teams playing) on Amazon Prime Video.

 

The NFL noted that the deals allow for the league to add a 17th game to its season, and a decision on that will be likely be made at the NFL owners’ meeting on March 30-31.

 

CBS and FOX keep Sunday afternoon coverage, and NBC Sunday Night Football.

 

Each network is able to simulcast games on their respective streaming services.

 

Disney CEO Bob Chapek was quoted: “This landmark agreement guarantees that ESPN's passionate fan base will continue to have access to the best the NFL has to offer. Bringing all the considerable and unique capabilities of The Walt Disney Company and ESPN to the table opens up so many opportunities across our industry-leading direct-to-consumer, broadcast, cable, linear, social and digital outlets. Special thanks to Roger Goodell and the NFL owners for continuing to embrace new ways to appeal to their fans, especially through increasingly important platforms like ESPN+.”

 

The current NFL television deals expire after the 2021 season for ESPN, and after the 2022 season for CBS, NBC and FOX. 

 

The NFL’s deal with DirecTV for the Sunday Ticket package also ends after 2022, but nothing new has been announced on that front. On the heels of today’s announcement, there are conflicting reports or rumors flying about Sunday Ticket, with some saying it will stay at DirecTV and others pointing to it going to ESPN+. Again, nothing has been announced on that as yet.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

  

Disneynomics: Pandemic Accelerating New Thinking at Disney

by Ray Keating

Disneynomics Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 9, 2020

Christine McCarthy, The Walt Disney Company’s chief financial officer and senior vice president, was interviewed today for the Citi 2020 Global Technology Conference. McCarthy largely hammered home points about how the pandemic has driven an assortment of changes in the way Disney is thinking about a variety of its businesses.

Like other enterprises of all types and sizes, McCarthy made clear that the pandemic is pushing Disney to reassess how it operates, its cost structure, how many (not all) people can work differently, and its physical plant. She came back again and again to words like “nimble,” “flexible,” and “acceleration.” For Disney, the acceleration largely has to do with direct-to-consumer services, namely, streaming services Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and its international STAR efforts.

McCarthy, as CEO Bob Chapek has done, also reiterated that they “know” that original content is crucial for gaining and retaining streaming subscribers. She acknowledged the company still being “hamstrung” due to COVID-19 in terms of producing more new content – for streaming, for ABC, for the theater, and so on. McCarthy did note that things were back up and running for the next Avatar movie, for Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and for some 20 series being produced in “bubbles.” 

Also mentioned was that Disney looks forward to getting things rolling once more on Marvel series WandaVision, Loki, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Those three shows are very important for Disney+.

As for the Mulan $29.99 video-on-demand premiere on Disney+, McCarthy justified the extra expense for families, and would only say that Disney was “pleased” with the four-day weekend. Details will have to wait for the next Disney shareholder meeting.

As for looking a bit further down the road, the issue of the rights to the NFL came up. McCarthy made very clear that the NFL “is an extremely important partner” for Disney, but also that the company would be “disciplined” in accessing opportunities. As I’ve argued before, Disney would seem to be an ideal partner for the NFL and its NFL Ticket, given ESPN+ as well as ABC and the ESPN linear channel. Think about how many additional subscribers Disney would gain for its combo package of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ if the NFL Ticket were added. Watch out Netflix.

By the way, in terms of taking advantage of any opportunities that present themselves, McCarthy noted that Disney has over $20 billion in cash on its balance sheet. That’s a nice pile of cash with which one can be nimble and flexible, and can hit the accelerator in terms of opportunities and necessary changes in a new environment. 

__________

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

PRESS CLUB C Podcast with Ray Keating – Episode #5: Interview with Thom Brennaman – TV Play-by-Play for the Cincinnati Reds & FOX NFL

Ray Keating once again upgrades the podcast with a great guest. Thom Brennaman, Cincinnati Reds play-by-play TV announcer and play-by-play announcer for the NFL on FOX, is that special guest. 

Thom and Ray talk about Brennaman’s broadcast experience and some of his fellow Reds announcers; the NFL’s noteworthy accomplishments with this year’s draft; NASCAR getting out front on re-opening among major sports; what lies ahead for baseball; and what the Reds were up to in the offseason and what the team promises to look like whenever the first pitch is tossed out for MLB season. Thom also plays “Tell Me Your Favorites” and talks about some matters beyond sports. Despite being a ridiculous Reds fan, Ray manages to act professionally. Enjoy the conversation!

Click here or on the graphic above.

CNBC Reports That Disney Seeking Expanded NFL Rights

by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 23, 2020

CNBC reported today that The Walt Disney Company is interested in expanding its partnership with the NFL.

Based on interviews with industry sources, CNBC noted that the NFL, once it completes a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the players, will be ready to move ahead in arriving at new TV deals. 

NFL owners approved terms for a new 10-year CBA on February 20 that would expand the NFL regular season from 16 to 17 games, reduce the number of preseason games, and expand the number of teams in the playoffs from 12 to 14. The current CBA runs through the 2020 season. The new deal would last 10 years, with the players getting 48 percent of league revenues under a 16-game season and 48.5 percent under a 17-game year. The NFL Players Association still needs to vote, with passage requiring two-thirds of the 32-team player representatives and then a majority of the players.

CNBC noted that the current NFL broadcast deal goes through the 2022 season, and that the NFL would like to stick with more traditional media in the new deal, but at the same time, jacking up the prices for their games. CNBC noted: “Rates on Sunday afternoon games may double, jumping from $1 billion annually to $2 billion annually. ESPN pays $2 billion annually for Monday Night Football and may need to pay $3 billion to keep the package, two of the people said. Renewals will likely be seven or eight-year deals, the people said.”

Regarding the future of Disney (which owns ESPN and ABC) and the NFL, Disney possesses the resources not only to retain its Monday Night Football status, but perhaps snag one of the other packages. In addition, CNBC noted that Iger wants to see ABC back in the playoff and Super Bowl picture.

However, even more interesting is the idea that Disney could grab Sunday Ticket away from AT&T. In fact, AT&T has not exactly been high on its DirecTV acquisition, and has been sending signals that the price for continuing the NFL Sunday Ticket deal, after it expires after the 2022 season as well, is likely to be too costly. AT&T currently pays $1.5 billion annually. Meanwhile, Disney has ESPN+ just waiting for something like Sunday Ticket. But other streamers will likely be in the mix for Sunday Ticket, with CNBC mentioning Amazon, Apple TV+ and YouTube TV.

Disney in competition with Amazon, Apple TV+ and YouTube? Sound familiar? Where the heck is Netflix?

In the end, the NFL will continue to be the king of sports in terms of dollars rolling in the door, with CNBC reporting that annual revenues could double. And no one should be surprised if Disney comes out with Monday Night Football, some post-season action, and Sunday Ticket – at the very least.

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Disney’s History with the Super Bowl Halftime Show

by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 2, 2020

In the first nine years of the Super Bowl's existence - before it became a national holiday and media extravaganza - the halftime show wasn’t a cheesy spectacle with odd musical and dance numbers, or even acts made up of famous rock & pop musicians. It was simply local college and high school marching bands performing, as per football tradition.

Super Bowl X broke with that by hiring the squeaky clean musical youth group Up With People to perform. They were well received, but the NFL wanted more spectacle.

If you're going to hire a company for big entertainment on a national stage, you can't go wrong with Disney. 

At Super Bowl XI in 1977, as the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders headed to their Rose Bowl locker rooms at the half, Disney characters took the field to perform a tribute to "It's A Small World." (Basically a big commercial for their famous theme park in Anaheim, just a few miles down the road.) 

This was also the first time that the Super Bowl stadium crowd was asked to be part of the spectacle. Disney distributed the now commonplace placards to be waved and held up at certain points of the performance.

Disney returned to the Super Bowl seven years later in Tampa - again right in the Mouse's backyard - when the Redskins played the Raiders. Disney produced a "salute to the silver screen." In addition to Disney characters, they utilized the marching bands of not one, but two local teams, Florida State and the University of Florida. 

It was a big Busby-Berkeley-type spectacular that set the tone for halftime shows to follow.

Super Bowl XXI in 1987 returned to the Rose Bowl and featured the Giants vs. the Broncos (it was the very same Super Bowl where Disney began its "I’m going to Disney World!” commercials.) This was the 100th anniversary of movie making, so Disney was hired to do a "salute to Hollywood."

Being so close to LA, you'd expect a load of Hollywood stars to show up, right? Nope, just George Burns and Mickey Rooney (The Disney gang showed up too, but we’re talking about live-action stars.) 

The Grambling University marching band performed, and there was a pre-taped medley of Hollywood songs, from Flashdance and Footloose to "When You Wish Upon A Star" (of course.)

Definitely a spectacle designed for casual viewers, and not meant for hardcore football fans, the halftime show of SB XXI started to drag the previously nondescript fifteen minute filler between halves into the territory of more of a Broadway or theme park style show.

Tampa was the setting for Super Bowl XXV in 1991, and it was no ordinary event. First, it was the 25th Super Bowl, so that added to the pageantry. More important though, the game between the Giants and Bills was played in a tense national atmosphere.

Just a few weeks before the game, US forces had begun the assault on Iraq in the first Gulf War. Almost everyone at the Super Bowl was wearing red, white and blue. American flags were seen all over the stadium. Security was tight, and Whitney Houston's rendition of the National Anthem brought many to tears.

Unfortunately for Disney, their half time show was planned well in advance of the war and didn't feature overtly patriotic themes. Instead, it was a simple tribute to the legacy of It's A Small World. New Kids On The Block, the hot band of the moment, came out to sing their hit single "Step By Step."

Too bad almost nobody saw it. Unlike all the other Super Bowl half time shows, which cost a fortune and are designed to be seen by millions, this program was not carried live by the network, ABC. 

Only the people in the stadium saw the show. At home, viewers instead saw a special ABC News half time report on the Gulf War. This was just as well, as most minds were on that topic anyway and the game was just a brief break from the 24-hour news coverage. 

To be fair, ABC did tape the half time spectacular, intending to air it after the game, but most affiliates cut away from that too. It later re-aired on the Disney Channel.

Though hardly anyone remembers the Disney show, few can forget the game, which turned out to be one of the most exciting ever. The New York Giants won 20-19 in a last minute squeaker when the Buffalo Bills kicker missed an easy game-winning field goal. 

1995 saw possibly the weirdest halftime show ever, courtesy of Disney. 

Super Bowl XXIX was played in Miami between the Chargers and 49'ers. Steve Young threw for six touchdowns on the way to a 49-26 blowout victory.

The Disney halftime show’s theme was "Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye,” a promotion for the ride that had just debuted at Disneyland. Actors playing Indy and Marian (definitely NOT Harrison Ford or Karen Allen) grabbed the Vince Lombardi Trophy - the shiny silver Tiffany-made award given to the Super Bowl winner - to save it from bad guys who wanted to steal it, all while musicians such as Tony Bennett, Teddy Pendergrass, Gloria Estefan and Patti Labelle sang in the background.

The climax of this dizzying mass of pop culture confusion was the whole group coming together at the 50 yard line to sing "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" from the previous year's movie hit "The Lion King."

Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 would be (to date) the last time Disney was involved in producing a half time show.

For the match up in Atlanta between the Rams and Titans (which the Rams won 23-16 on an exciting last second tackle at the goal line), Disney prepared an inspiring halftime show about the hopes for the new Millennium called "Tapestry of Nations." 

"Tapestry" was also making its debut as the focus of Epcot's Millennium celebration.

This halftime show was by far Disney's most ambitious, featuring breathtaking costumes, pageantry, a full orchestra, cast of hundreds and a chorus of 80 people. Noted actor Edward James Olmos was the narrator, and performers such as Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera (who both were later named Disney Legends) and Enrique Iglesias took the field to sing "Celebrate the Future, Hand In Hand."

Many thought the show was moving and impressive, but critics were not so nice. The consensus seemed to be that Super Bowl halftime shows were getting out of hand.

While the criticism was not aimed at Disney directly (Radio City Productions had also done large halftime shows), the NFL decided to move in another direction, with less spectacle. 

MTV and concert promoters were asked to bring in big name rock, rap and pop stars to perform. In recent years, it's been pared down even more to just one or two featured performers or groups, often on a bare bones stage. 

The NFL may yet return to Disney (there was talk of using them for guaranteed family friendly shows after the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" fiasco in 2004, but nothing came of that.) For now, Mickey and friends are on the sidelines but in the minds of millions of fans, they will always be associated in one way or another with halftime.

Chris Lucas is the author of  Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.