Get Ready to Scream! Monsters, Inc. Takes Over Monday Night Football

Disney and ESPN are bringing the laughs and scares to the NFL gridiron with a special Monsters, Inc.-themed animated game, part of a massive new deal to animate more live sports across the board!

TL;DR

• Monsters Funday Football airs December 8, 2025, featuring the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Chargers in a full-on Monsters, Inc. world.
• ESPN and Sony's Beyond Sports just inked a multi-year deal to animate more NFL, NBA, NHL, and for the first time, WNBA games through the 2026-27 sports calendar year.
• Catch Mike Wazowski, Sulley, and more on ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney+, and the ESPN App!

Alright, sports fans and animation aficionados, get ready to combine your passions because something truly monstrously awesome is heading your way! ESPN, in partnership with Disney and Pixar, is rolling out the red (or should we say, blue and green?) carpet for Monsters Funday Football. This isn't just any football game; it's a full-on animated takeover featuring your favorite characters from Monsters, Inc., hitting your screens on December 8, 2025. And that's not all – this super cool event is part of an even bigger expansion of Espn's animated alternate telecasts, meaning more of your favorite sports are getting the cartoon treatment!

Unlocking the Magic of Animated Live Sports Experiences

If you've been around the Disney and ESPN block for a while, you know this isn't the first time they've dipped their toes into the animated sports waters. Remember the "NHL Big City Greens Classic" in 2023 (and again in 2024)? Or how about "Toy Story Funday Football" in 2023, which was a massive hit and even snagged three Sports Emmy Awards, including one for Technical Achievement? Last year, "The Simpsons" joined the NFL fun, and the NBA got into the spirit with "Dunk the Halls," featuring classic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse. These events were just the beginning, proving that there's a huge appetite for experiencing live sports in entirely new, imaginative ways.

These alternate telecasts aren't just a gimmick; they're a carefully crafted strategy to draw in new and younger audiences. ESPN's research shows that most children watch these animated games with an adult, turning sports viewing into a co-viewing family event. Plus, non-sports fans are a huge part of the social buzz generated around these unique broadcasts. By leveraging Disney's beloved intellectual property (IP) and distributing these altcasts across platforms like Disney+, ESPN has successfully broadened its audience, driving growth and creating new fans.

As Kevin Lopes, Vice President, Sports Business Development & Innovation at ESPN, puts it, "At ESPN, innovation has always been a driver in serving sports fans, including reaching new audiences. The Beyond Sports team has helped fuel our animated alternate casts, along with our league partners, creating an entirely new way for fans to consume our content. We look forward to continuing to produce these unique experiences for fans both this year and in the years ahead."

The Big Game: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Chargers in Monstropolis

Mark your calendars for December 8, 2025! This year's NFL animated spectacular will feature the Philadelphia Eagles battling it out against the Los Angeles Chargers in a Week 14 Monday Night Football matchup. But don't expect a typical stadium; the game will be virtually recreated in the iconic Monsters, Inc. factory, specifically on a reimagined "Cheer Floor" (a playful twist on the film's "Scare Floor"), complete with a full-length football field and thousands of cheering monsters!

This isn't just a backdrop; it's an immersive experience where the players' real-time movements are mirrored by animated avatars. The goal for the teams? To fill "Cheer Canisters" – a fun nod to the movie's "Scream Canisters" – with monster cheers throughout the game. The night won't just crown a game winner but also a "Cheer Champion"!

Here's what you need to know about tuning in to this fantastic event:

• Event: Monsters Funday Football animated alternative telecast
• Date & Time: December 8, 2025, 8 p.m. ET
• Teams: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Chargers
• Where to Watch: ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney+, ESPN App, and on mobile with NFL+

What's particularly exciting about this year's broadcast is its expanded availability. While previous alt-casts were often streamed only, this Monsters, Inc. version will be available on linear TV channels like ESPN2, Disney Channel, and Disney XD, making it even easier for families to gather 'round and enjoy the fun.

The Star-Studded Cast of Monstropolis Football

Get ready to see some familiar monster faces on the field! Mike Wazowski will be aligning with Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, while James P. "Sulley" Sullivan will be joining Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. These adored monsters won't just be cheering from the sidelines; they'll "sub in for key offensive and defensive moments," adding their unique flair to the gameplay.

And the voices? Oh, they're classic! The original voice actors are reprising their roles with new, prerecorded lines for the broadcast:

• Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski
• John Goodman as James P. "Sulley" Sullivan
• Bob Peterson as Roz

Speaking of Roz, our favorite slug-like monster will be serving as the game's sideline reporter, keeping a watchful eye on the action because, as she reminds us, she is "watching, always watching!" You might also spot the Child Detection Agency (CDA) on clean-up duty, monitoring the crowd and clearing penalty and challenge flags. Plus, expect to see other movie easter eggs, like a "Cheer Competition Leaderboard" (replacing the Scarer's Leaderboard) and floating Monsters, Inc. bedroom doors hovering over the field, showing fans watching globally.

The human broadcast team will also get the animated treatment! ESPN's Drew Carter and Dan Orlovsky will call the action live from within the animated world of Monstropolis, appearing as virtual versions of themselves. They'll use VR and Sony’s Beyond Sports Virtual Commentator Technology to react to the on-screen animation in real-time. Even ESPN veteran Chris Berman is expected to make an animated cameo!

The Incredible Technology Fueling Animated Sports

How do they make this magic happen? It's all thanks to cutting-edge technology and a brilliant partnership. ESPN has significantly expanded its agreement with Sony’s Beyond Sports, a leading force in AI-driven 3D visualization, along with Sony's Hawk-Eye Innovations technology. These alternate telecasts utilize Disney’s extensive IP to transform live gameplay into real-time animations, a concept ESPN first debuted in 2023.

The core of this innovation lies in data. Real-time player movement from the NFL's Next Gen Stats and Hawk-Eye optical tracking cameras feed into Sony's Beyond Sports visualization platform. This AI-driven engine processes data at a millisecond level, rendering gameplay, character movement, and environmental details live. Imagine it: every tackle, every pass, every run is instantly converted into animated action, perfectly synced to what's happening on the real field.

Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of Graphics Innovation, emphasizes this point: "Each iteration of Funday Football has pushed the boundary of what’s possible in sports technology. By blending real-time NFL data and tracking with cutting-edge animation, we’re transforming the way fans experience an NFL game. Our continued innovation with partners like the NFL, Beyond Sports and Disney+ showcases how technology can turn a live game into a fully immersive world, giving fans an additional way to consume sports."

The technology even allows for "Character Scaling & Stylization," ensuring that animated characters, regardless of their unique size and shape, integrate seamlessly into the live action while maintaining authentic athletic movements. It's truly a blend of real-world sports data and imaginative animation.

A Monumental Deal: Expanding Animated Broadcasts Beyond Football

While Monsters Funday Football is definitely the headline grabber right now, it's just one piece of a much larger, multi-year agreement. ESPN and Sony's Beyond Sports have extended their partnership through at least the 2026-27 sports calendar year. This new deal means we'll see more animated alternate telecasts across a broader range of sports.

For the upcoming 2025-26 season, ESPN will produce animated telecasts for an NFL, NHL, NBA, and, significantly, a WNBA game. This marks the first time professional women's sports will receive this animated treatment, a fantastic step towards broader fan engagement. Sander J. Schouten, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Beyond Sports, highlighted this growth: "The addition of four new telecasts this season will bring our total with ESPN to nine — a reflection of how this partnership continues to grow year on year. Enabled by our technology, together we’re driving the evolution of fan engagement, creating new ways for fans to experience the game and redefining live sports storytelling."

More alternate telecasts are already planned for the 2026-27 sports calendar year, hinting at an exciting future for fans. This expanded partnership isn't just about entertainment; it's about evolving how sports are consumed, attracting new generations, and fostering lifelong fandom by making the game more accessible and fun. By blending beloved Disney IP with live sports action, these broadcasts also serve to educate viewers on game rules and terminology, making sports more engaging for casual observers.

So, whether you're a die-hard football fan, a lifelong Pixar devotee, or just looking for a new way to enjoy sports with the family, Monsters Funday Football and the future of animated sports telecasts are sure to deliver a truly unforgettable experience. Get ready for some cheers, laughter, and maybe a few good scares!

Frequently Asked Questions About Monsters Funday Football

When is Monsters Funday Football airing?

Monsters Funday Football is scheduled to air on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET.

Where can I watch the Monsters Funday Football game?

You can catch all the animated action on multiple platforms: ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney+, the ESPN App, and on mobile devices via NFL+.

What other sports will get animated broadcasts under the new ESPN deal?

ESPN's expanded agreement with Sony’s Beyond Sports includes animated alternative telecasts for the NFL, NHL, NBA, and, for the first time, the WNBA, through at least the 2026-27 sports calendar year.

Who are the voice actors featured in Monsters Funday Football?

Original Monsters, Inc. voice actors Billy Crystal (Mike Wazowski), John Goodman (James P. "Sulley" Sullivan), and Bob Peterson (Roz) will all lend new, prerecorded lines to the broadcast. ESPN commentators Drew Carter and Dan Orlovsky will also appear as animated versions of themselves, calling the game from within the virtual world, and Chris Berman is expected to have an animated cameo.

Sources

• Disney Extends Partnership To Expand Animated Alternate Telecasts
• ‘Monsters Funday Football’ Coming to ESPN, Disney+
• ESPN, Beyond Sports extend deal to include more animated alt-casts for NFL, NBA, NHL, WNBA
• ESPN Inks Deal To Expand Alternate Animated Telecasts During 2025-26 Season
• ESPN Announces ‘Monsters Funday Football’, Its Latest Real-Time Animated Broadcast, To Air Alongside ‘Monday Night Football’ on Dec. 8
• ESPN Announces ‘Monsters Funday Football’, Its Latest Real-Time Animated Broadcast, To Air Alongside ‘Monday Night Football’ on Dec. 8
• Monsters Funday Football is coming on Dec. 8
• Monsters Inc. Funday Football Night Dec 8th Eagles vs Chargers