The first-ever real-time animated alternate presentation of an NBA game will take place tomorrow, December 25. Sony’s Beyond Sports is collaborating with ESPN, Disney, and the NBA for an event they are calling Dunk the Halls, which will use data processing and real-time visualization technology from Beyond Sports to put Disney characters directly into the game. Optical tracking technology from Hawk-Eye Innovations will assist in the production of this alternate-reality presentation of the real-life Spurs vs. Knicks game in real-time. Dunk the Halls will be presented on ESPN2, ESPN+, and on Disney+.
WATCH: This basketball court is a giant LED display
Fans watching Dunk the Halls will see animated versions of every play from the game at Madison Square Garden in New York, with iconic Disney including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto, Chip and Dale inserted into the telecast. Sony says fans can also expect to see extra content from the characters, including a halftime slam dunk contest as well as pregame and halftime speeches to the players. Elves will operate cameras, with Santa Claus operating ESPN’s “SkyCam” during the game.
Dunk the Halls is the third major sports telecast in 2024 to use Sony’s Beyond Sports’ real-time visualization engine, including the NHL Big City Greens Classic 2 on Mar. 9 and the NFL The Simpsons Funday Football on Dec. 9.
“Real-time visualization and virtual alternate productions have clearly emerged from being a novelty into an established tentpole of broadcast and streaming programming,” said Sander J. Schouten, Managing Director and Co-Founder at Beyond Sports. “Every time, we’re ready to deliver an innovative, immersive, and interactive altcast that puts viewers right in the heart of the action. This isn’t just the future of sports consumption—it’s the trend reshaping the industry today. With our latest telecast, fans can expect all of that, plus an added touch of Christmas magic.”
The Christmas Day telecast marks the first time that Beyond Sports technology will be used for basketball. The production will combine Beyond Sports’ data processing and real-time visualization technology with Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking, allowing each Spurs and Knicks player to appear as a motion-enabled, animated player.
“Adapting our data enhancement system to these new sports formats was essential,” said Nicolaas Westerhof, CTO and Co-Founder at Beyond Sports “For example, the original ankle and toe data points can result in unnatural movements. By adding details like foot roll dynamics, we ensure smoother, more realistic visuals, significantly improving the viewer’s experience.”
