NEWS: Something BRAND NEW Is Coming to Disney+ This Christmas!

The NBA season is underway, and Disney is getting in on some of the basketball action!

Despite already owning the largest sports entertainment outlet in America (ESPN), Disney higher-ups have suggested shifting even more of a spotlight on sports coverage in recent years.  With more of a focus coming to Disney+ and a potential sports streaming merger with competitors, Disney is actively trying to extend its reach when it comes to sports. The latest maneuver is coming in the form of a special basketball broadcast.

Disney just announced that it is teaming up with the NBA for a special Dunk the Halls ESPN event on Christmas Day!

Featuring the December 25th matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, the broadcast will showcase “the first real-time animated NBA game using Sony’s Beyond Sports technology,” according to Disney.

We’ve seen a form of this before with Funday Football on Disney+ and Marvel’s Arena of Heroes NBA telecast, so it now appears that Disney is doubling down on livening up its sports broadcasts and playing around with potential coverage ideas.

The Dunk the Halls broadcast this year will air on ESPN2, ESPN+, and Disney+, serving as the first NBA game ever to air on the streaming service.

As for the animation itself, be prepared to see a recreation of Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A as the game’s arena. Per Disney, the “state-of-the-art real-time visualization technology enabled by Sony’s Beyond Sports, combined with Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking, fans watching Dunk the Halls will see every three-pointer, dunk, layup, pass and more from the real-life Spurs vs. Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in New York as it happens.”

You’ll even be able to see appearances by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Chip, and Dale!

Speaking of those beloved Disney characters, be prepared to watch them compete in their own slam dunk contest at halftime, in addition to pregame and halftime speeches. We might even see them decorate a large Christmas tree!

Disney also teased that Santa’s Elves will operate the game’s cameras while Santa controls ESPN’s “SkyCam” during the game.

The game will be commentated by Drew Carter and Monica, who will also be “animated in the style of the telecast and don ESPN Edge Innovation Partner’s Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Main Street, U.S.A. thanks to VR technology and Sony’s Beyond Sports’ Virtual Commentator Technology.” Naturally, Daisy Duck will be the sideline reporter.

We’ll continue to keep you posted on all kinds of Disney sports news, so stay tuned right here at AllEars for more updates!

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Do you plan on checking out this special NBA broadcast on Christmas Day? Let us know in the comments!