ESPN

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The Simpsons and Milhouse are shocked at something on TV.
(Fox Flash)

After 36 seasons, a beloved television staple is leaving its longtime network.

Inside the NBA, the popular sports analysis show, is moving from TNT to the Disney-owned channel ESPN starting with the 2025-2026 season. TNT’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, lost the NBA rights in a major bag fumble. The show will continue to be independently produced by TNT Sports at its Atlanta-based studio.

The show, which premiered in autumn 1989, ended its run on TNT last night with co-host Shaquille O’Neal giving a profane sign-off: “We’re a family. I’m glad we’re sticking together. And like I said, even though the name changes, the engine is still the same. And to that network we coming to, we not coming to eff around. Since this is the last show, I’m going to say it- we not coming to fuck around. We kicking ass, we taking names and we taking over.” [Yahoo Sports]

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CGI Simpsons football field with the logo for ESPN The Simpsons Funday Football. Ullman-era Homer is about to throw a football while Hans Moleman stands nearby.

For years, football has postponed The Simpsons, but soon you’ll be able to watch both at the same time! In what will surely be a terrible strain on the animators’ wrists, Monday Night Football is heading to Springfield where a live NFL game will be animated and brought into the Simpsons world using advanced VTuber technology.

An ESPN press release has all the details on this grotesque display of corporate synergy:

ESPN, Disney, the Simpsons and the National Football League will premiere The Simpsons Funday Football on Monday, Dec. 9, an animated Monday Night Football game transformed in real-time into the iconic Simpsons world using Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. Atoms Stadium in Springfield will host the fully immersive fan viewing experience featuring the Cincinnati Bengals at the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN’s Monday Night Football game that evening.

The Simpsons Funday Football alternate viewing presentation will stream on Disney+ and ESPN+, and, on mobile, with NFL+. The traditional Monday Night Football telecast will be available on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes with Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli on ESPN2. Both the traditional telecast and Peyton and Eli will also be on ESPN+, making each distinct presentation available in the ESPN App. All telecasts will begin at 8 p.m. ET.

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