Sitting at home watching a broadcast from Main Street has been a Christmas tradition for decades thanks to the annual parade broadcast — but this year we got some extra Disney magic with Dunk the Halls. This alternative broadcast of a NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks traded the real-world Madison Square Garden for a court on Main Street U.S.A. Combining two Christmas pastimes was more fun that it might appear on paper, and I hope it becomes a new holiday staple.
Were there technical glitches? Sure. Did analyst Monica McNutt make some Disney flubs? Also yes — but her and play-by-play broadcaster Drew Carter delivered a fun broadcast in what I imagine is a technically challenging situation. Carter was impressive balancing normal play-by-play, basic basketball explanations, and some fun Disney touches such as calling out a fun “gawsh” when Goofy made an excellent play. Joining the broadcasting team was Daisy Duck who was surprisingly entertaining as a sideline reporter. They also incorporated interviews with the Fab Five during the game, which added more fun and the broadcast team seamlessly integrated them into the broadcast so they didn’t interfere with the game being played.
I was impressed that the ESPN team didn’t just create a virtual alt-cast and rest on their laurels. They put thought into elements of the broadcast including fun graphics, basketball explainers, and alternating Disney and NBA trivia. There were also ongoing stories including Goofy’s churro meter, the characters decorating the Christmas tree, and prepping for the halftime dunk contests. The dunk contest, judged by a virtual representation of NBA commissioner Adam Silver and two Prep & Landing elves, was won by Minnie in an amazing representation of how she still rocks the dots.
One side effect of this broadcast was my perception of the NBA and its players. Oftentimes when consuming ESPN content such as First Take or the Hoop Collective podcast, the conversation often turns to monster contracts and the larger-than-life personalities that make up the league. The interviews and fun-facts showed how these amazing athletes can smile and enjoy the joy that is playing with Disney on Christmas Day. Watching “The Alien” Victor Wembanyama discuss with passion why he would want to play ball with General Grievous is pure fun and has made me a fan.
As the game winded down to its exciting conclusion, Drew Carter wisely focused on the exciting game. By that point, I forgot I was watching an “alt-cast.” In the end Mikal Bridges was dubbed by Carter “The King of Main Street.” If this was a different time, I could imagine Disney Parks holding a future ceremony where he would be given a ceremonial key to the Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, that euphoric feeling was short-lived as shortly after Bridges sealed the New York Knicks victory, Goofy knocked down the Christmas tree. Luckily there was still some magic left. If you want to see how it all played out, the broadcast will be available for 30 days on Disney+.
A lot of care was made by various teams to ensure that the game met the needs of both NBA and Disney fans. As was reported, they even worked with legendary animator Eric Goldberg and the folks at Walt Disney Animation Studios to ensure they got the characters right. The holiday season is about joy, and this broadcast was just that. I hope next year I will be able to buy a Dunk the Halls holiday sweater to wear while I cheer on next year’s game. I won’t be able to rock it like the virtual Adam Silver, but I will try my best.