- This is the second time this year that ESPN has aired an animated alternative show
- In March, the NHL Big City Greens Classic aired for a Rangers-Capitals game
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The NFL is targeting younger audiences with a new animated simulcast concept based around the Pixar franchise Toy Story.
Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars at London’s Wembley Stadium will be played in a digitized version of a character’s room. The Toy Story Funday Football television show streams on ESPN+ and Disney+. ESPN+ also has the main broadcast.
This is the second time this year that ESPN has done an animated alternative show featuring Disney characters. In March, the NHL Big City Greens Classic aired during a game between Washington and New York.
ESPN has had success with alternative broadcasts of NFL games, including the “ManningCast” during “Monday Night Football” and playoff games.
Tim Reed, the network’s vice president of programming, said the NHL game provides a good starting point and something to build on.
This is the second time this year that ESPN has aired an animated alternative show
“We looked at a lot of different concepts and ultimately chose Toy Story because it resonates with older generations and kids alike.” “It’s also a way to promote and spread the word about the ESPN+ exclusive game.” , he said.
The broadcast will be fully animated, with players’ movements synchronized with real-time action on the pitch. This is done through player tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Beyond Sports.
Beyond Sports, a Netherlands-based company, will be primarily responsible for player animation and ensuring that player tracking data works with the animated product. ESPN’s creative services have created more than 100 animations of “Toy Story” characters for inclusion in the show.
Pixar Animation Studios, which produces the “Toy Story” franchise, worked with ESPN to ensure things didn’t stray too far from established storylines.
“When you make a normal game, you document it.” “As we go along, we kind of create the plot of the game,” said coordinating producer Drew Gallagher. “It was a fun and imaginative experience producing this.” We kind of lean into the cartoon logic of it all, like when the aliens descend from the sky and drop the ball at the line of scrimmage. That’s the fun kind of silliness we get into.”
Fans can also look forward to Bo Peep, Bullseye, Forky, Green Aliens and Slinky Dog.
At halftime, Duke Caboom will attempt a motorcycle jump over double-decker buses.
Drew Carter, Booger McFarland and 12-year-old Pepper Persley will be the game’s announcers. All three are fully animated and their body movements are viewed using motion capture technology.
The game begins at 9:30 a.m. EST on Sunday, but the Toy Story Funday Football replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Over 95 countries worldwide will have access to the presentation, either live or recorded, including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico and France.