Ay Caramba! What ESPN and The Simpsons Just Did, I Did Almost Four Years Ago

Last night, ESPN and Disney+ transformed the Monday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys into an animated spectacle straight out of Springfield. Dubbed “The Simpsons Funday Football,” this alternative broadcast transported viewers into the world of The Simpsons, complete with animated avatars of real players, Bart joining the Bengals, Homer cheering on the Cowboys, Marge conducting interviews, and even Maggie operating the SkyCam.

As a professor who once “Simpson-ized” a class, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. While ESPN and the NFL used animation to make football more family-friendly and culturally engaging, I employed The Simpsons for many of the same reasons: to take something serious—whether it’s a football game or a law class—and make it accessible, relatable, and dare I say, fun.

The NFL and ESPN had a clear goal: expand the audience for football by blending a beloved cultural touchstone with the excitement of a live game. Sports broadcasting has been experimenting with alternative presentations, from Nickelodeon’s “slime-filled” NFL games and highlights to the Manning brothers’ laid-back commentary on ESPN2. Adding The Simpsons to the mix was a natural evolution.

This partnership wasn’t just about gimmickry. It was about creating a hybrid experience that could appeal to hardcore football fans and casual viewers alike. By weaving Springfield into the gridiron, they ensured there was something for everyone—play-by-play action for the sports junkies and classic Simpsons humor for animation enthusiasts.

Back in 2021 ...

Years before the NFL hit Springfield, I decided to “Simpson-ize” a class I taught. At the time, law school felt to my students (and to me, if I’m being honest) a little too serious. Legal education is rigorous, and for good reason, but the stress can become a barrier to learning. I realized I needed a way to break through that tension, something that would allow students to let their guard down and engage with the material on a deeper level.

Enter The Simpsons. By incorporating the show’s humor, familiar characters, and bright graphics, I turned a dry and difficult subject into something approachable. We explored legal concepts through the lens of Simpsons characters. Students weren’t just memorizing rules; they were interacting with the material in a way that stuck.

The Shared Rationale: Blending the Serious with the Familiar

In both my classroom and last night’s broadcast, the strategy was the same: take a traditionally serious environment and infuse it with something universally recognizable and fun. The NFL wanted to attract younger viewers and families, proving that football can be a shared cultural experience. I wanted to show my students that law school, while challenging, doesn’t have to feel like a slog.

The genius of using The Simpsons lies in its universality. It’s a show nearly everyone knows, with characters and humor that transcend age and background. Whether you’re watching Bart fumble his way through a football game or applying IRAC to figure out how Homer inevitably violates every zoning law in Springfield, the result is the same: you’re engaged.

Ahead of the Times, But Always Learning

Seeing The Simpsons take over Monday Night Football made me realize just how forward-thinking that “Simpson-ized” class was. It also reaffirmed the importance of meeting your audience where they are. Whether that’s a sports fan tuning into The Simpsons Funday Football or a law student wrestling with the res ipsa loquitur, the goal is the same: make the experience accessible, engaging, and memorable.

So here’s my takeaway from last night’s broadcast: creativity in education—or entertainment—pays off. And while I may have been ahead of the times in turning to Springfield for inspiration, it’s clear that this approach has a universal appeal. After all, if it’s good enough for Monday Night Football, it’s good enough for the classroom.