ESPN is a Disney company, and I often forget that fact. However, I was randomly reminded of it because, as we wait for more upcoming Star Wars movies, we're going to be getting a heaping helping of Darth Vader on Monday Night Football.
Beginning October 26th, those watching Sportscenter+ will be able to see an animated Darth Vader talk to one player who will be a part of the Monday Night Football telecast that evening. As confused as I am about this pairing, I can't help but feel curious enough to fire up my Disney+ subscription when the time comes to see how it goes.
Why Darth Vader Is On Monday Night Football
ESPN's reasoning for welcoming one of Star Wars' most powerful characters is simple. Disney is hosting the 2027 Super Bowl on ABC, ESPN, and Disney+, and has decided to do another simulcast using data visualization technology from Sony’s Beyond Sports. We've seen the network do this in the past with Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story, and now it's time for Star Wars to be involved.
So far, Anthony Daniels is confirmed to return to voice C-3PO. The late James Earl Jones, of course, won't be voicing Darth Vader, but we don't have official confirmation on who will provide the voice. It was reported a while back that Jones signed off on Disney using generative AI to recreate his voice, so I feel like that could be utilized here.
Are People Actually Watching These Simulcasts?
ESPN announced back when it did its Monsters Inc. simulcast that 563,000 viewers tuned in across ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney+. While those numbers are dwarfed by the average tens of millions of viewers that a Monday Night Football game typically draws, it's a solid start, and one that could grow as the technology improves.
Ultimately, it feels like the idea is to try to promote the NFL to a new audience, likely children. It also seems like Disney wants to find other ways to use Star Wars beyond its traditional movies and shows, as evidenced by the shelved Darth Vader talk show that was made years ago.
I do find it surprising to hear that ESPN will lean on C-3PO, Darth Vader, and more classic characters for the Super Bowl. I'm curious to see if we'll also see Rey, Finn, Poe, and all the newer characters we've been watching over the past decade.
If not, all those movies are still available to stream on Disney+. While I remain curious about ESPN using Star Wars to promote the NFL, I'm on the fence about whether I'll choose to watch that over the traditional Super Bowl presentation.
