The Walt Disney Company (DIS)’s CEO Says Parks Were a “Big Surprise.” Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) Just Ended a Three-Month Football Blackout

On August 14, 2026, The Walt Disney Company CEO Josh D'Amaro revealed in his first CNBC interview since succeeding Bob Iger that the company's parks division was a "big surprise" last quarter. Just days prior, on August 11, Disney and Comcast Corporation reached a deal to end a three-month blackout that had prevented NFL Network and NFL RedZone from airing on Comcast's Xfinity cable service.

Disney's ESPN unit had taken over NFL Media assets earlier in the year, and the two companies could not agree on new terms once ESPN's contract with Comcast expired. ESPN's newly acquired NFL Media leverage likely played a role in securing the deal. Disney posted a 28% earnings growth last quarter, with strong results across parks and streaming.

CEO D'Amaro stated that there is clarity within the organization about the company's direction moving forward, and ruled out spinning off ESPN, calling its sports rights portfolio enviable among other media companies. The financial terms of the Comcast deal were not disclosed, leaving uncertainty about whether Disney achieved higher fees or simply settled to avoid disrupting the season.

Comcast secured the return of NFL Network and NFL RedZone for its 11 million Xfinity subscribers just in time for the 2026 season, averting a second consecutive season of football programming disruption. The standoff's resolution removes a subscriber-retention risk for Comcast heading into the fall.