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Oswald was traded for Al Michaels
Oswald was the character Walt lost in 1928 because Universal, not his studio, held the rights. Mintz had ordered him as a rival to Felix the Cat, with white fur, a tail, and big ears, and it was a hit for Universal, for the distributors, and for Walt's studio. Nearly eight decades later, Universal was owned by NBC, which was owned by Comcast.
By then Disney owned ABC and ESPN. In one of his first acts as CEO, Iger traded Michaels, the Monday Night Football commentator, to NBC in exchange for the rights to Oswald, in a deal that looked like a sports team trade. Oswald came home to Disney, and NBC got Al Michaels.
How did Disney end up owning ABC?
Disney agreed in 1995 to buy Capital Cities/ABC for about $19 billion. The deal brought the ABC network and a controlling stake in ESPN under Disney. Bob Iger had risen through ABC and became Disney's CEO in 2005. The trade for Oswald came shortly after.
Why was Al Michaels worth trading?
Michaels called Monday Night Football from 1986 to 2005. NBC wanted him for its Sunday Night Football, which began in 2006. He had also called the 1980 US Olympic hockey win over the Soviet Union, a moment still replayed today. Sports announcers of his stature were rare.
What did Disney do with Oswald afterward?
Oswald appeared as a character in the 2010 video game Epic Mickey. He was presented as Mickey's forgotten older half-brother. The game gave the rabbit a new audience. Disney also put Oswald merchandise back on the market.
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