Play ball with a little Pixar magic.
As the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) prepares for its inaugural championship series, Disney and ESPN are teaming up with Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story” to help celebrate one of the biggest moments in professional softball.
Ahead of Game 1, Woody and Jessie will step onto the field to lead a special pregame parade featuring youth softball players before taking part in the ceremonial first pitch. Fans tuning into the ABC broadcast will also get to see both festivities as part of the championship presentation.
The collaboration arrives as the league reaches a historic milestone. Game 1 will become the first professional softball game ever televised on broadcast television, introducing the rapidly growing league to an even broader audience.
The celebration extends beyond the beloved Pixar characters. ESPN is also elevating its championship coverage with a major production featuring 23 cameras, including super slow-motion cameras, aerial drone footage and specialty handheld cameras. Players from each team will also wear live microphones during the games, allowing viewers an even closer look at the action on the field.
For Disney, the partnership is another example of blending its iconic storytelling with live sporting events, while also helping introduce younger viewers and families to professional softball through some of animation’s most recognizable characters.
Game 1 of the AUSL Championship Series airs Saturday on ABC, with Game 2 following on Sunday, July 26, on ESPN. If needed, a deciding Game 3 will air Monday on ESPN2.
This collaboration gives fans another opportunity to see Woody, Jessie and the world of “Toy Story” step beyond the screen while celebrating the continued growth of women’s professional sports.