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Shop Disney x Champion’s NFL Release
The new frontier (erm, Frontierland) Disney has been making inroads into as of late? Sports, in an effort to reach even more fans across generations. And its latest athletic courting ritual comes in the form of the Disney x Champion NFL Collection, announced last month and now available to shop online at fanatics.com, nflshop.com, and disneystore.com.
A landmark partnership seeking to “fuse two of the world’s most powerful fan ecosystems — sport and storytelling,” per a press release, the collection matches all 32 NFL teams with beloved Disney, “Star Wars,” Marvel, and Pixar characters as part of a line of sweatshirts, T-shirts, and hoodies that debuted at Fanatics Fest NYC on July 16.
Only eight team pairings were initially unveiled — the Buffalo Bills and the Beast; the Dallas Cowboys and Woody; the Las Vegas Raiders and Darth Vader; the New England Patriots and Captain America; the New York Giants and Wreck-It Ralph; the New York Jets and Buzz Lightyear; the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Captain Hook; as well as the Washington Commanders and Hamm. These were revealed on-stage at Fanatics Fest in an inventive Disney Fan Draft format, “reimagining the NFL Draft through an unmistakable Disney lens,” according to Disney.
Courtesy Disney, Champion, NFL
Now, shoppers have access to 32, with Cleveland Browns x Pluto, Houston Texans x Jessie, and Seattle Seahawks x “Mine, Mine, Mine” Seagulls (of “Finding Nemo” fame) having already become instant, quick-to-sell-out favorites.
Disney x Champion Cleveland Browns Pluto Sweatshirt
Sizes S to 3XL.
Disney x Champion Houston Texans Jessie T-Shirt
Going fast.
Disney x Champion Seattle Seahawks Seagulls Youth T-Shirt
Because both the fictional sea birds and the Seahawks are “loud, relentless, and always in a pack.”
If you think the mashups are incongruous, think again. Disney and Champion worked from a place of intention for the entirety of this project’s extensive research and development phase. They’ve pointed out distinct team-character links like Hamm’s connection to the Commanders’ legendary offensive line “The Hogs”; Captain America’s inherent representation of leadership and patriotism, akin to what the Patriots stand for; the fact that the Cowboys and Woody are “rooted in classic cowboy iconography”; and the aviation-related parallels between the Jets and Buzz Lightyear.
“Great collaborations are built on shared cultural relevance, and that’s what made these pairings so compelling from a design perspective,” Marcus Rosie, Disney Consumer Product’s Global Creative SVP, shared exclusively with WWD. “By merging Disney’s character storytelling with the visual language of NFL fandom, we created a collection that feels equally at home in sports culture and everyday style.”
The monumental endeavor was teased earlier via a co-branded social media trailer starring NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. In the clip, the 67-year-old takes professional tips from Mickey Mouse over FaceTime, alluding to the close bond the two now have vis-à-vis their respective affiliations: both steeped in strong identity, rich legacy, and passionate fandom.
As far as crossovers with professional sports teams are concerned, Toy Story devotees will be happy to know that this is not Disney’s first rodeo, having previously launched MLB-themed trading cards across all 30 teams, collaborated with Formula 1 and the Formula 1 Academy alike, and released a Spider-Man-meets-NBA lifestyle capsule at Macy’s.
Another major step towards football-specific integration? Disney and ESPN’s “Year of the Super Bowl” campaign, which is gearing up for the latter’s inaugural Super Bowl broadcast with new product drops, storytelling, and fan experiences happening until February 2027.
There’s never been a better time to show off your present-day sports obsession alongside some friendly faces from childhood, and the below Disney x Champion NFL highlights will help you do just that.
Shop More From the Disney x Champion NFL Collection
Disney x Champion Buffalo Bills Beast Full-Zip Hoodie
Broken-in from the get-go, so you can look fierce without sacrificing comfort.
Disney x Champion Dallas Cowboys Woody T-Shirt
This particular pairing feels natural, just like the lightweight, seamless tee it’s displayed on.
Disney x Champion Las Vegas Raiders Darth Vader Sweatshirt
A heather-gray pullover for joining the dark side in style.
Disney x Champion New England Patriots Captain America Youth T-Shirt
Gift this to the youngest Pats fan you know.
Disney x Champion New York Giants Wreck-It Ralph T-Shirt
Relaxed, boxy, and slightly cropped.
Disney x Champion New York Jets Buzz Lightyear Sweatshirt
May your cherished Jets go to infinity and beyond this upcoming season.
Disney x Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers Captain Hook Full-Zip Hoodie
Claims to level up your personal aesthetic with “swashbuckling swagger.”
Disney x Champion Washington Commanders Hamm T-Shirt
Soft and retro.
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Meet the Author
Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, wrote about tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on viral fashion releases that touch the worlds of pop culture and sports.
