Disney Plus scores a Christmas slam dunk with the first-ever animated basketball game
- This real-time animated NBA game takes place on Christmas Day
- Sony’s Beyond Sports technology will animate the players and the action in real time
- Mickey, Minnie and more will sit courtside on “Main Street USA.”
Holidays and sports have long gone hand in hand, and on Christmas Day you may be more interested than ever in the annual NBA game. Sure, the matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks will be fun, but the NBA is teaming up with Disney and ESPN for something even more fun.
How does a basketball on Main Street USA at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom sound with Cinderella Castle in view and the cheers of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto and even Goofy on the sidelines? Oh, and the players in the NBA game are animated in real time, appearing as animated players that mimic their every move, thanks to Sony’s Beyond Sports technology.
Enter “Dunk the Halls.” It’s the first real-time animated NBA game ever, a feat the NFL has done a few times, including adding some slime zones for a Spongebob-themed game and a Toy Story-themed game that streamed on Disney Plus and the Beyond Sports technology. However, this will be a first for the NBA and basketball.
Disney is clearly very excited about the competition and the technology itself – and Sony Beyond Sports is all about the data capture and visualization to create the experience of this game without noticeable latency. Beyond Sports will work with Sony’s Hawk-eye technology to target players on the field, something other sports leagues, including the NFL, are using.
Disney fans, especially fans of the Fab Five, will be treated to a pre-show, in-game commentary and a special halftime show from the characters, with Mickey and Minnie leading the way. As for full professional game commentary, that honor goes to Drew Carter, ESPN basketball analyst Monica McNutt and Daisy Duck. Since it’s Christmas, Santa will be operating ESPN’s Sky-Cam for a unique view from the animated camera, and if the teaser for the “Dunk the Halls” game is anything to go by, Disney World might see snow.
The promotion kicks off on December 25, 2024 at 12pm ET and will stream on Disney Plus and ESPN Plus and air on ESPN 2. It’s certainly a great collaboration between three major brands – Disney, Sony and the NBA – with technology playing a key role. is. here, and it’s clearly a trend that all sports leagues want to get on board with. Don’t forget, an upcoming Simpsons NFL game arrives on Disney+ on December 9, 2024.
