ESPN, Disney+ to Stream Live NFL Game Set in the World of ‘The Simpsons’

by

As a long-time Simpsons fanatic and football enthusiast, I couldn’t be more thrilled about ESPN’s The Simpsons Funday Football! Growing up, I remember the countless hours spent laughing at Bart’s antics and marveling at Homer’s bumbling brilliance. Now, these characters are taking the field in an NFL game? It’s like a dream come true!

Bart Simpson may soon have a new catchphrase in his repertoire: “Don’t have a Cowboy, man.”

Disney Corporation, along with the NFL and ESPN, are collaborating to present a new animated broadcast for an upcoming NFL match. However, this time they’re going all out with “ESPN’s Simpson’s Super Sunday Football Special.

On December 9th, a unique football game between the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals will be streamed on both Disney+ and ESPN+. However, this match won’t take place in its usual stadium; instead, it will be held at Atoms Stadium in Springfield. The players will be swapped for numerous animated characters modeled after those from the Fox and Disney+ series “The Simpsons”.

This upcoming year marks the second consecutive one where Disney+ will broadcast an animated NFL game. However, unlike last year’s game which was on a Sunday morning and featured Toy Story, this year’s event is a Monday Night Football matchup, making it more significant in several aspects.

Unlike the previous year’s game, where the Hollywood strikes restricted Disney from utilizing talent from those movies, this year’s Simpsons game will boast a complete cast of Simpsons voice actors, including Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. They will provide their voices for pre-recorded segments and skits (penned by the Simpsons writing team) that will play before and during the game. Some of these skits will even feature players from both teams as well as ESPN personalities like Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning, and Eli Manning.

The broadcast will feature a dedicated commentator’s stand, where lively digital renditions of Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, and Drew Carter will provide commentary on the unfolding events.

In certain segments of the match, it’s planned that Bart Simpson, in an animated form (substituting a real Bengals player), will be on the field with the Bengals. Meanwhile, Homer Simpson will take to the Cowboys team. During the game, Marge and Lisa will conduct interviews with players, while Maggie operates the SkyCam.

Instead of the usual setup for Monday Night Football on ESPN, there will be three distinct broadcasts this week. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will lead the traditional presentation, which can be found on ESPN, ABC, and ESPN+. Meanwhile, the Manningcast, hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning, will air on ESPN2 and ESPN+. Lastly, for fans of “The Simpsons,” a special themed broadcast will be available exclusively on Disney+ and ESPN+.

The game will be the highest-profile live sports event to stream on Disney+.

The television series “The Simpsons,” acquired by Disney as part of their 2019 deal with Fox, targets a younger male demographic that the National Football League (NFL) aims to attract. Consequently, Disney’s animated offering seems slightly more appealing compared to last year’s “Toy Story” attempt. Although new episodes continue to air on Fox and often receive higher ratings during the network’s Sunday NFL doubleheader, Disney+ has broadcast several short episodes and plans an exclusive holiday special in December.

Read More

2024-10-29 04:54