Why David Pastrnak likes ESPN’s ‘Big City Greens’ NHL simulcasts

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Why David Pastrnak likes ESPN’s ‘Big City Greens’ NHL simulcasts

Posted By: jasabacklink March 9, 2024

Bruins

“It’s awesome that ESPN started doing that for the kids that can’t make it to the game, and hopefully they enjoy at home.”

David Pastrnak scored the first goal of Saturday’s game, and got to see it in cartoon form shortly after. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Saturday’s Bruins-Penguins matchup didn’t just air a national broadcast on ABC. It also aired a cartoon simulcast version through the Disney TV show “Big City Greens.”

It’s ESPN’s second venture into the cartoon simulcast, entitled “Big City Greens Classic 2”: the first occurred in March 2023. Saturday’s version improved in a few different areas, including a new feature that allowed Kevin Weekes to break down a Boston goal at ice level.

During the second intermission of the Bruins’ 5-1 win, David Pastrnak spoke about the new wrinkle in the broadcast. Pastrnak scored Boston’s opening goal of the evening, and watched it in cartoon form shortly after.

“Honestly fun to watch … if every game is like that I might start watching my shifts to get better,” Pastrnak joked. “Obviously growing up, it’s amazing to watch cartoons, so it’s awesome that ESPN started doing that for the kids that can’t make it to the game, and hopefully they enjoy at home.”

The Bruins are becoming a regular feature in the Disney TV show as well. On top of the game played on Saturday, Boston’s captain Brad Marchand appeared as a guest star on an episode of “Big City Greens” last season.

The NHL isn’t the first major U.S. sport to develop a broadcast geared towards kids — though it might be the most unique. The NFL has utilized alternate streams of certain games in partnership with Nickelodeon. The most recent edition of that simulcast featured beloved characters Spongebob and Patrick on commentary.

That broadcast only has cartoons in place as a secondary feature, though. The “Big City Greens” version is entirely animated, and even replaces some players on each team with characters in the show. For instance, “Gloria” took the place of Pavel Zacha on his first goal of the night.