PLAY ROARBALL – “GOAT” created a co-ed sport that’s a high-octane version of basketball. The hyperkinetic game features fast, fierce and ferocious animals who play on soccer-field-sized courts using two feet, four feet, tails, tongues, horns and claws.

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• The game embraces the erratic and aggressive nature of hockey: roarball is a contact sport—fouls are rarely called, and the dynamic courts shoot vines, spew lava and split under paw.

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• The actual ball was designed with players’ paws, claws and hooves in mind—it is hollow with holes, inspired in part by the Wilson Airless basketball prototype.

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• “GOAT’s” version of a championship ring is the Claw. Unfortunately, the best player in the league, Jett Fillmore, has yet to win a Claw, which is ironic since she’s a black leopard with all kinds of claws.

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• Andre Iguodala, professional basketball player who played in the NBA for 19 seasons, served as a consultant to create actual plays for the roarball teams—think X’s and O’s on a chalk board, but for leopards, ostriches and rhinos.

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• Director Tyree Dillihay was keen to replicate a signature basketball move made famous by Jamal Crawford. Featuring a simultaneous jump stop, behind-the-back dribble and a hop, the “shake-and-bake” originated in an All-Star game when Crawford, age 16, found himself locked up by a defender.

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• Filmmakers called on live-action costume designer Dominique Dawson to outfit the athletes and give them their own individual style and personality.

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• Logo designer Emily Morgan created identities for the league’s six teams, including the Thorns, the Magma, the Shadows, the Arctic, the Sandstorm and the Tectonics.

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