TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — As the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons get ready to hop across the pond for a matchup in London, Disney and the NFL have hatched a plan to show the game from a new perspective.
On “Toy Story Funday Football,” players will be animated in real-time to appear as characters from the iconic Disney film series. The alternate version of the game will air live on Disney+ alongside the traditional broadcast on ESPN+ and local television stations.
The iconic Wembley Stadium will be shrunk down to fit inside Andy’s Room, the setting of the early Toy Story films.
“Fans will view every run, pass, score and all football-related action through state-of-the-art tracking technology enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats player tracking data and Beyond Sports,” according to a news release from ESPN, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. “In addition to the gameplay, all the surrounding aspects of the game – announcers, graphics, scoreboard, penalty announcements, celebrations, and more – will all embrace the Toy Story-themed offering in their packaging and delivery.”
The game will include commentary from Booger McFarland, who played defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1999-2002, former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Drew Carter, and 12-year-old sports reporter Pepper Persley. The commentary team will also be fully-animated using motion capture technology.
Young fans will also see some familiar faces from the Toy Story films. Joining Woody and Buzz in Andy’s room will be Bo Peep, Bullseye, Bunny, Ducky, Forky, Green Aliens, Jesse, Rex and Slinky Dog. For the halftime show, Duke Caboom will attempt an epic motorcycle jump.
The broadcast will also include some demonstrations and how-to videos to help younger fans keep up with the game. The real-life Jaguars and Falcons players will also add to the fun with pre-recorded segments and interviews.
The fully-animated offering will kick off Sunday morning, Oct. 1, at 9:30 a.m. ET. Fans can watch the broadcast live on Disney+, ESPN+, and on mobile with NFL+.
