Turner is following in Nickelodeon’s footsteps and giving one of its biggest sports properties a kid-friendly makeover. With NBA All-Star weekend on the horizon, Turner is utilizing its Cartoon Network to put a twist on All-Star Saturday Night’s Dunk Contest.
The contest will be shown live Saturday night on TNT. Less than 24 hours later, Cartoon Network will air a show featuring highlights called by the stars of its hit series Teen Titans Go.
“We had to think about what the Teen Titans have not accomplished yet. They’ve sung waffle songs, eaten burritos, starred in their own feature film, watched Space Jam, and now they get to take part in one of the most iconic sporting events,” Tricia Melton, Chief Marketing Officer, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, said in a press release. “As their popularity continues to skyrocket, this groundbreaking partnership with the NBA and Turner Sports allows us another fun and innovative storytelling opportunity to bring our Super Heroes back into the real world.”
Viewers will see the characters Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, and Beastboy call and comment on the action. They will also participate in their own dance contest judged by members of DC Comics’ The Justice League.
Cartoon Network Special Edition: NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest will debut Sunday at 5 pm Eastern time. Marathons of Teen Titans Go will air on Cartoon Network throughout the weekend.
With this special, Turner jumps into a field that has already included a Star Wars-themed MLB broadcast and a Marvel-themed NBA broadcast on ESPN, a kid-friendly broadcast of the Pro Bowl on Disney XD, and Nickelodeon’s slime-filled presentation of an NFL playoff game. That network will also present a kid-centric golf broadcast later this year.
