NFL and Disney Announce Toy Story-Themed Game Coming Next Month
Disney's Toy Story Funday Football is bringing the NFL to Andy's Room.
Following Nickelodeon's efforts to get kids interested in professional football games, Disney is now making its own attempts to bring the NFL to a younger demographic. On Monday, The Walt Disney Company announced a new crossover football program that will take place at the start of October, giving a live football game a complete Toy Story makeover and streaming it simultaneously on Disney+ and ESPN+.
Toy Story Funday Football will be a live telecast of the October 1st game between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars, which is taking place in London, England. The "real-time alternate presentation" will look like it's coming to viewers live from a play mat in Andy's bedroom. Each player on both teams will have "animated representation" on the field, making the teams look like they're part of a Pixar movie. Even the announcers, graphics, scoreboard, and every other element of the telecast will be given the same Toy Story presentation. At halftime, Toy Story 4 character Duke Caboom will attempt a daring motorcycle leap across the field.
Along with the announcement, Disney released a video to show off what it has planned for Toy Story Funday Football. You can check it out below!
ESPN's Drew Carter and Booger McFarland will provide commentary alongside 12-year-old Pepper Persley, and all three of them will be fully animated for the game. Other popular Toy Story characters will have a presence throughout the telecast.
"Andy's room will replicate the on-the-field gameplay from Wembley Stadium, where each Falcon and Jaguar player will have animated representation on a traditional looking field, catered to the Toy Story setting," reads Disney's press release. "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.
"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, all occurring in Andy's room. Woody, Buzz Lightyear and many of the characters from the acclaimed animated series will be visible throughout, participating from the sidelines and in other non-gameplay elements."
What do you think of Disney's new Toy Story-themed NFL telecast? Will you be watching Toy Story Funday Football next month? Let us know in the comments!