Popular on VarietyDisney also ruffled some sponsors by probing to see whether it could reset the Super Bowl ad playing field. NBCUniversal enjoyed solid momentum behind Super Bowl sales last year, but did not declare sell-out until September. “We see the Super Bowl as an opportunity to bring everyone together, to celebrate the biggest single game on the planet.” In reality, the bulk of the company’s Super Bowl ad inventory sold for $7 million to $8 million, according to people familiar with the matter. Super Bowl LXI is the linchpin of a massive schedule of live events that Disney has been touting to advertisers for months.