Monday Night Football is getting another animated spin this year, but it won’t be Andy’s toys that take the field, instead, fans can tune in to Springfield where The Simpsons cast will bring to life an upcoming showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys.
Funday Football will return on Dec. 9, 2024, for the match between the Bengals and Cowboys, but unlike the first time, this broadcast will feature voice talent from the series being used to the game to life. That’s right, Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith have all shared their voices in this game which will look and sound like something right out of an episode of The Simpsons.
The alternate broadcast will see Homer Simpson representing the Cowboys while Bart sides with the Bengals team. Marge and Lisa will both be present too interviewing players during the match, and even Maggie is set to show up, so it’s a full house of Simpsons. Alongside the action on the field, there will also be animated segments during the broadcast featuring ESPN talent including Stephen A. Smith, and more.
This is the second Funday Football broadcast, but it is the first that will actually use voice talent from the franchise it is based. Last year the idea came to life with the cast of Toy Story, however, due to the WGC and SAG-AFTRA strike none of the actors you’ll recognize from the animated movies participated in the stream. This time that won’t be a problem.
Despite its lack of movie talent, the first Funday Football broadcast was a major success and even scored multiple Sports Emmys for its unique, trailblazing way of delivering the NFL to fans. It also happened to be the biggest live event to stream on Disney Plus to that point – no small achievement.
The Funday Football alternate broadcast is intended to bring the NFL to younger fans in a fresh way. The stream uses motion tracking technology to provide a live animated interpretation of what’s happening on the field at AT&T Stadium. Of course, the stadium you’ll see on this broadcast isn’t that, but instead the Atoms Stadium in Springfield.
The best part is that the broadcast will be available not just on ESPN Plus, but also Disney Plus, and NFL Plus for those who prefer mobile. It will also be accessible all around the globe in countries that include Australia, Brazil, Netherlands, Mexico, and a lot more.
If you’re a longtime NFL fan or just someone who loves The Simpsons make sure to tune into the broadcast when it kicks off on Dec. 9, 2024. If you happen to miss the broadcast while it’s live you can catch the game on demand 12 hours later on all of the same services.
You can get a taste of what’s to come by checking out the first Funday Football on the NFL YouTube channel right now.
