The NBA has planned an exceptional Christmas Day game, featuring iconic Disney characters for an unforgettable festive experience.
Tl;dr
- ESPN will broadcast a special Disney version of the NBA game on Christmas Day.
- The match will be animated with classic Disney characters using technology from Sony.
- This is the first time the NBA has hosted a game with animated characters.
An unprecedented merger between Disney and the NBA for Christmas
During this festive period, ESPN has prepared a big surprise for NBA and Disney fans. For the first time, the NBA is teaming up with Disney to offer a special version of a game, enriched with animation and Disney characters. The game in question will feature the San Antonio Spurs against the New York Knicks on Christmas Day.
A match like no other
The broadcast of this meeting, scheduled for noon Eastern time, will not be limited to a simple sports broadcast. The match will take place in Madison Square Garden transformed into Main Street USA at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, thanks to Sony's Beyond Sports technology. Iconic Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald, and Daisy Duck will make appearancesjust like Santa Claus and his elves, from the Disney animated short film Prep & Landing.
A new trend in sports broadcasting
The move is part of a recent trend that mixes live sporting events with a TV channel's flagship cartoon characters. As evidenced by the alternative broadcast of the Bengals-Cowboys match on December 9 on ESPN+, Disney+ and the NFL+ application, which will feature characters and scenes from The Simpsons.
Second Spectrum technology used by ESPN3's Full Court Press broadcasts creates augmented graphics that track players' movements and provide real-time updates. This match therefore promises to be an immersive and unique experienceoffering viewers a whole new kind of entertainment.
