Disney, Champion, the NFL and Fanatics launched the NFL Disney collab at Fanatics Fest NYC, using the first-ever Disney Fan Draft to unveil the first eight team-character pairings. Bret Healey said the goal was to make fandom read like personal style, not just team loyalty.
“Today’s consumers view fandom as an extension of personal style, and this collection was designed with that mindset from the start,” Healey said in a statement from Disney Consumer Products. He added that “Each piece transforms team affiliation into something expressive, collectible and culturally relevant.”
Disney Fan Draft at Fanatics Fest NYC
The reveal gave fans early access to the first drop through the Disney | Champion Fan Zone, where merchandise, photo opportunities and Disney character appearances were part of the launch. The collection spans tees, crewnecks and sweatshirts, so the rollout is not just a logo swap; it is a broader retail push built around apparel that can travel beyond game day.
Roger Goodell and Taylor Rooks hosted the Disney Fan Draft, with CJ Mosley and Dion Daw appearing at the reveal. The first eight pairings tied Woody to classic cowboy iconography, Buzz Lightyear to the Jets’ aviation roots, Darth Vader to the Raiders and Hamm to the Commanders’ Hogs legacy.
32 NFL teams, staggered rollout
The collection is described as a first-of-its-kind collaboration, but launch day still left most of the board untouched: only eight of the 32 NFL team-character pairings were shown this afternoon. That split matters because the product is being sold as a league-wide concept, yet the public still has to wait for the full map of matches.
In August, the remaining team-character pairings will be revealed, and merchandise for all 32 NFL teams will reach Fanatics.com, NFLShop.com, DisneyStore.com and select Lids locations nationwide. For shoppers, that means the opening sell-through window is early and limited, while the broader assortment arrives later in the rollout.
Fanatics and Disney | Champion
Disney Consumer Products, Champion, the NFL and Fanatics built the line around team history, fan traditions, visual identity, city culture and character storytelling. That combination gives the collaboration a cleaner commercial logic than a standard licensed drop: the characters do not sit on top of the teams, they are built into the design premise.
For readers, the practical takeaway is simple. The first release is already in motion at Fanatics Fest NYC, but the full NFL Disney collab will not be complete until August, when the rest of the pairings are finally shown and the broader retail rollout catches up.
