Disney gets Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Ryder Cup action for Al Michaels

Well, this is interesting. Seems broadcaster Al Michaels has finished a switch from ABC to NBC, in what was a fairly bizarre trade.

The Walt Disney Co., owner of ESPN and ABC (and the souls of several million children, I hear) said it had dealt the veteran ABC broadcaster to NBC Universal for rights to highlights from a broad range of NBC Sports coverage, promotions for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” – and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Oswald was the precursor to Mickey Mouse. You know the early days of “The Simpsons,” when the artwork wasn’t as good? Same concept.

“When Bob (Disney president and CEO Robert Iger) was named CEO, he told me he wanted to bring Oswald back to Disney, and I appreciate that he is a man of his word,” Walt Disney’s daughter Diane Disney Miller said in a statement Thursday. “Having Oswald around again is going to be a lot of fun.”

Well, I know I keep some doodles nearby my desk and the fun just never seems to stop. I can only imagine the effect Oswald will have on the indentured servants over at Fort Disney.

Also, ABC will get rights to rebroadcast Ryder Cup action through 2014, which was a fantastic help in giving this story a golf angle. And it makes it a tough call. Al Michaels, or a cartoon rabbit plus some Ryder Cup action? Tough call.

–WKW

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
Creepy, yet worth one Al Michaels.