BRISTOL, Conn. — Mickey Mouse and many of Disney’s iconic characters will be part of the NBA’s first animated alt-cast on Christmas Day.
Disney and ESPN announced Wednesday that the Dec. 25 game between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks will be on ESPN2, Disney+ and ESPN+ as “Dunk the Halls.”
Even though this is the first time with the NBA, ESPN has done alternate animated broadcasts for NFL and NHL games.
The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real time on the court. That’s done through player-tracking data enabled by Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking system and Beyond Sports.
The animated version of the game will be set on iconic “Main Street, USA” in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Shots of “Main Street, USA” and other famous landmarks within the park will be regularly shown, including Cinderella’s Castle.
The traditional broadcast will air on ABC and ESPN.