• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 9, 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

Tennis

Wimbledon’s Rollout of Automated Line Judges Has Been Rocky

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

ESPN Brings Pat McAfee to Atlanta for Home Run Derby Showcase

The Disney-owned network will bring one of its top stars to Atlanta.
Malika Andrews
exclusive

Joe Buck, Malika Andrews to Guest-Host ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’

Elle Duncan and Laura Rutledge have also had discussions.
Dan Orlovsky and Ryan Clark
exclusive

Dan Orlovsky, ESPN Agree to Terms for Contract Extension

Orlovsky had faced possible free agency this summer with his contract ending.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”

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.
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.
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

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
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.
NFL-Sunday_Ticket
September 3, 2024

Plaintiffs Appeal After $4.7 Billion NFL Sunday Ticket Verdict Tossed

The move was expected after a judge threw out a landmark verdict.
August 28, 2024

NBA Hiring Team to Oversee Automated Officiating

The league is coming off a terrible year for officiating.