Friday night, sports fans turned to ESPN in search of some entertainment. What they found, however, was Air Bud. The Worldwide Leader in Sports filled part of the evening schedule with a movie about a golden retriever that excels at basketball. This discovery caught many viewers by surprise and helped make Air Bud trend on Twitter.
For some fans, seeing Air Bud on ESPN only meant that sports had not returned quite yet. The NBA season is set to resume following approval from 29 of the 30 teams, but the games will not take place until July 31 at the earliest. For now, the sports broadcaster is filling the time with more unique options, documentaries about longtime stars, and movies about a very talented golden retriever. Fans looking for sports simply expressed sadness or confusion while watching Air Bud.
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Others, however, showed their excitement about the basketball-playing dog. They watched the movie as kids and relished the opportunity to revisit the 1997 film. These fans didn’t care that no “actual” sports were taking place.
I miss sports to much that I legitimately just got excited for Buddy’s basketball skills in Air Bud.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) June 6, 2020
Airbud: How would you feel if you were the kid that had to sit the bench because you were worse than the dog? pic.twitter.com/63qyC86dOx
— Susan McKay (@TotalSuzeMove) June 6, 2020
ESPN showing Air Bud last night was easily the best content they’ve shown in months. That dog has real talent.
— Zack Burton (@zburton3) June 6, 2020
You know times are tough when they are playing Air Bud on @espn. Wow
— Ryan Hulke (@Huckstar12) June 6, 2020
ESPN is playing Air Bud right now
— TRAFON (@RiseFallNick) June 6, 2020
What a classic, with way too many sequels to try and cash in on it… pic.twitter.com/scLHytmH5A
Airbud is airing on ESPN LETS GOOOOOOOOO
— Striker ⚡️ (@MagicRDMcFadden) June 6, 2020
If you thought the world couldn’t get any crazier, Air Bud is playing on ESPN right now
— Gabe (@Gabe_Gordon3) June 6, 2020
ESPN is playing Airbud. 2020 is redeemed pic.twitter.com/h6A862VkM1
— Sharpedo Bluff (@SharpedoB) June 6, 2020
ESPN is playing Airbud rn, you’re welcome
— Caroline Ramagos (@CarolineRamagos) June 6, 2020
Props to @espn for putting the GOAT on TV tonight. Air Bud has more game than MJ and Lebron combined
— Buddy (@Huskylover1102) June 6, 2020
watching air bud.. can’t believe this mf made a free throw
— rj. (@gr00vyrj) June 6, 2020
Air Bud is on ESPN right now and I can’t be any happier🙌🏽❤️ pic.twitter.com/PREB71N0lj
— © Allen © (@Allen_Phil_413) June 6, 2020
They were showing air bud on ESPN last night, and I feel like that says a lot about where we’re at with sports right now.
— Jon (@JonWithNoH) June 6, 2020
Airbud was on yesterday when I was looking through the channels 😂 I guess @espn is trying to fill in air time 😂
— Ryan W. Block (@RyanWillieBlock) June 6, 2020
Air Bud is currently airing on ESPN. This was one of my favorite movies as a kid in the 90s pic.twitter.com/CKtRHCHes5
— Jon (@Jon415SF) June 6, 2020
the most impressive thing about air bud was him walking on to the court in shoes without doing this pic.twitter.com/UECAGT8yS2
— Rach Lee (@rachleeph) June 6, 2020
When Air Bud and MJ see each other pic.twitter.com/U5xCB2K21U
— Airbud Burner Account (@Airbudburner) June 6, 2020
Are my eyes playing tricks on me? Is ESPN really playing Air Bud? Is this what the world has come to? pic.twitter.com/1Xxtetmmcd
— Caprice 🦋 (@MsHollywood081) June 6, 2020
Air Bud on ESPN. I loved this movie as a kid. pic.twitter.com/YyOB2o7ScT
— Kevin Rozell (@Zellyanks) June 6, 2020
Thx ESPN
— Workin the Gimmick Everyone has a Gimmick!!! (@AngryMarkBeer) June 6, 2020
Air Bud is on right now !!! No Changing the Channel Now pic.twitter.com/85DdiVCDs3
