If you can’t get your kids to watch one of the five NBA games on Christmas Day, try Disney+, ESPN+, or ESPN2 for a special Disney-fied version. ESPN has announced that it would play a “Dunk the Halls” coverage of the San Antonio Spurs game against the New York Knicks starring animated Disney characters.
The program begins at noon Eastern Time. If you just want to watch the game played by regular, boring humans, it will be shown on Disney+, ESPN+, ABC, and ESPN.
“Dunk the Halls” will transform Madison Square Garden into Main Street USA from Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, using Sony’s Beyond Sports technology.
Classic Disney characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald and Daisy Duck, and Santa and his elves from the animated Disney short Prep & Landing will make appearances in the game as well.
This is the first time the NBA has scheduled a game with animated characters and graphic overlays. It’s also the latest installment in a new trend that combines live sporting events with a network’s iconic cartoon characters.
On December 9, ESPN+, Disney+, and the NFL+ app will broadcast an alternate version of the Bengals-Cowboys game, complete with virtual characters and scenes from The Simpsons. ESPN3’s Full Court Press broadcasts make use of Second Spectrum technology to create augmented graphics that follow players’ movements and deliver real-time information.
