• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, September 17, 2025

AI Robots Take Seats At NFL Game

  • AI robots were placed in seats at SoFi Stadium during Chargers’ Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins.
  • It is the most recent addition to a series of movie-related spectacles at sporting events.
The Los Angeles Chargers are leaning into their Hollywood home to promote Disney's upcoming movie.
Credit: The Sporting Tribune

The Los Angeles Chargers are leaning into their Hollywood home to promote movies, as AI robots were placed in seats at SoFi Stadium during their Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins to help promote Disney’s upcoming science fiction film called “The Creator.”

“The Creator” debuts in theaters September 29 from Disney’s 20th Century Studios with a plot focused on a future war between humans and artificial intelligence. Disney showed the robots in the crowd on SoFi Stadium’s video screen, with the figures moving their robotic heads and sitting next to human fans.

This isn’t the first time Disney has utilized the massive double-sided video board at SoFi Stadium to promote a film; the screen was also used last year to promote a trailer for “Avatar: The Way of Water” during a Rams game.

SoFi Stadium in Hollywood Park is a natural fit to promote films as it is located near the center of America’s entertainment industry. The Creator’s promotion comes as SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America are on strike over labor tensions in Hollywood that largely stem from a lack of compensation from streaming services and AI’s threat to creative workers.

“There’s a level of creativity that the computers are never going to be able to replace that will always necessitate people,” sports media personality Bomani Jones told FOS in July. “What AI can do is write a game story. There’s a lot of things in our world that AI can do that really can affect the employment prospects that a lot of us have in this game.”

Jones, a former ESPN writer and host, attended a picket line event outside the CBS Broadcast Center in New York in July to show support for Hollywood writers on strike. Union leaders from the NFLPA, MLBPA, and NHLPA also attended the event to support the strike

Recently, newspaper publisher Gannett decided to pause its use of artificial intelligence to write high school sports articles after the technology’s recaps drew criticism on social media. 

Disney’s latest movie stunt at SoFi Stadium is reminiscent of the creepy actors placed by Paramount at MLB stadiums last year to promote its Smile horror film. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Premier Lacrosse League

‘The Circus Is Coming to Town’: Why Upstart Leagues Start on Tour

In their ambitious plans, a traveling schedule is only temporary.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) pursues Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.

College Football Enters Week 3 Up 21% in TV Ratings

Total college football viewership across all networks is up big.
opinion

19 Rising Stars in Sports Media

Who are sports media’s rising stars? Here’s an inside look.

Featured Today

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
September 9, 2025

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
Cal Raleigh

Home Run Derby Came Down to a 1-Inch Hawk-Eye Measurement

One expert is skeptical that the measurement could be that precise.
May 23, 2025

Paul Skenes Blockbuster Trade Buzz Is Building. Will the Pirates Cash In?

Trade talk reflects the pitcher’s big surplus value and the Pirates’ struggles.
Tennis
July 7, 2025

Wimbledon’s Rollout of Automated Line Judges Has Been Rocky

The electronic system briefly went down Sunday, leading to a controversial replay.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
Curry
May 9, 2025

Brady, Curry, Ohtani Get Most Claims Dropped in FTX Endorser Suit

The judge did call the endorsers “uninformed, negligent, or even reckless.”
Sponsored

How NFL Next Gen Stats and AWS are Modernizing NFL Scouting Combine..

In an era where data is king, evaluating football’s next great talents demands a more sophisticated approach.
July 18, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; A Secret Service agent watches over Donald Trump during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
October 29, 2024

Trump, Harris, and Biden Can Be Tracked Through Secret Service Strava Users

A French newspaper discovered the movements of world leaders through their security.
Jul 12, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Lorenzo Musetti of Italy returns a shot against Novak Djokovic of Serbia on day 12 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
October 9, 2024

Wimbledon Turns to AI After 147 Years of Tennis Line Judges

The French Open is now the lone tennis major without electronic line calling.