NFL fans were treated to something new on Sunday morning.
The ‘Toy Story’ broadcast of Jaguars-Falcons took us to infinity and beyond
Falcons-Jaguars is taking place at Wembley Stadium, but the better broadcast is straight from Andy’s room.
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
A Toy Story-themed broadcast of the London game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Jacksonville Jaguars set in Andy’s room.
ESPN and Disney+ debuted the “Toy Story Funday Football” telecast on Sunday, an animated telecast of the game using characters from the beloved Toy Story series, set in Andy’s bedroom.
Yes, there were some glitches along the way. There were moments when the broadcast simply focused on the commentating team of Drew Carter and Booger McFarland. There were moments when the broadcast simply focused on the animated football, and not any of the action. Also, given the technology involved, the broadcast was on a rather significant delay, so if you were tracking the game for ... let’s just say other reasons you might have preferred the live broadcast on ESPN+.
And yet, the “Toy Story Funday Football” telecast was, when it was working, absolute magic.
Take this side-by-side of a Trevor Lawrence scramble:
Or this pick-six from the Jacksonville defense:
When Lawrence connected with Calvin Ridley for the game’s first touchdown, it was absolute perfection, down to the call from the virtual booth:
Bijan Robinson juking a Jacksonville defender out of his cleats? Tremendous when animated, unless you are that defender in question:
The telecast even took the opportunity to teach younger fans aspects of the game, such as this breakdown of field goals, with a “doink” reference:
The International Series from the NFL is all about expanding the game to newer audiences. Which is another reason the “Toy Story Funday Football” is perfection. Because it is aimed at growing a new generation of fans. As much as the people reading this might already love the game of football, there is always a new generation of fans waiting in the wings, and this broadcast — thanks to the technical wizardry behind it — is aimed squarely at them.
Perhaps while offering some nostalgia for the older fans as well.
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