Since its inception over three decades ago, from episodes like “Lisa the Greek,” “Homer at the Bat” and “Bart Star,” Fox’s iconic animated comedy series “The Simpsons” has been linked to sports.
“I do think it is part of the DNA of the show,” Matt Selman, executive producer and showrunner for “The Simpsons,” said on “The Main Event” podcast.
The next phase of “The Simpsons” and sports will take place as an alt-cast on the upcoming “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. Using Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology, the stream will be on ESPN+, Disney+ and NFL+, while ABC/ESPN will have Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. ESPN2 will feature Peyton Manning and Eli Manning’s alt-cast.
For viewers tuning into “The Simpsons” version of the game, players, broadcasters, the stadium setting and all plays will appear entirely as animation, and the game action will mirror what is happening in the actual game.
Selman and his team have also prepared jokes and gags for ESPN’s creative producers Michael (Spike) Szykowny and David (Sparky) Sparrgove.
Spike and Sparky will be running the show as if they were on Springfield’s KBBL 102.5 FM.
“It’s almost like they’re DJs and we’ve written a thousand little short physical comedy bits and visuals that they can pop in during the game,” Selman said.
If there is a touchdown or a punt, there are plans for that or the alt-cast may show Mr. Burns in the owner’s box with Jerry Jones.
“Speaking of evil people — Mr. Burns only,” Selman said with his hands raised.
The Mannings and ESPN analysts Mina Kimes and Stephen A. Smith will make guest appearances. Kimes, fellow ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky and play-by-player Drew Carter will call the action. After the game, Selman said there will be a special celebrity tag.
While Selman wouldn’t reveal who it would be, it will definitely not be Roger Federer. “The Simpsons” has a long history of sports stars appearing, but in a forthcoming episode that spoofs the rise of pickleball, Federer was the rare celebrity not to do the program.
“He’s a busy guy, I guess,” Selman said.
Selman declined to say who the show got instead, but they will now know that they were Plan B.
“The Simpsons” has a knack for taking real life and making it even more hilariously absurd. The “Lisa the Greek” program — in which the Simpsons’ eldest daughter, Lisa, develops a knack for picking football winners and enters into a fraught bond with gambling-crazed dad Homer — is a perfect example, as the show hit on sports gambling way before it was legalized.
“I was a ‘Simpsons’ fan before I was a ‘Simpsons’ writer, and I’m still kind of a ‘Simpsons’ fan,” Selman said with a wry smile. “Homer (was) a sports gambler when gambling was kind of fun and illegal instead of being the gross top of the corporate food chain that it is now.”
The show’s history with sports could almost fill a book, and it keeps going.
“One thing we did recently that I’m proud of is that we did a fake version of the (NFL RedZone channel) called the Punt Zone,” Selman said. “‘You won’t miss a second of hang time. Nothing but punts.’”
There is an upcoming episode that has fun with the Shohei Ohtani translator gambling controversy. In that one, Fox Sports’ Kevin Burkhardt voices some parts, while The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner makes an animated appearance.
Most people, athletes included, want to be on the show. “The Simpsons” has gone international with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who had trouble nailing the lines in a second language, while basketball legend Yao Ming just requested not to be depicted as a monster for his appearance.
It’s all good-hearted fun, which is what Monday will try to accomplish. The gags will be in the hands of the DJs, Spike and Sparky, to deliver the magic after Homer eats too many hot dogs and falls into a dream where he is coaching the Cowboys on “Monday Night Football” against Bart’s Bengals.
“It has that Homer vs. Bart, father vs. son, strangling appeal that is so part of the 35-year-old show,” Selman said.
(Image via ESPNPressRoom.com)
