SpongeBob and Slimetime to Make Super Bowl Debut on Nickelodeon
Aug 1, 2023, 08:55 AM ET
The NFL and CBS Sports have announced an exciting addition to this season’s Super Bowl. For the first time ever, the Super Bowl will have a kids-centric presentation on Nickelodeon, marking the first alternate telecast of the Super Bowl on another network. The game, which will be played in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024, will be broadcasted by CBS.
“We’re thrilled to partner with CBS Sports and Nickelodeon to present the first alternate telecast of the Super Bowl,” said NFL media executive vice president Hans Schroeder. “Our previous telecasts on Nickelodeon have been huge hits and created a new and different way to experience an NFL game. We’re excited to bring that creativity to Super Bowl 58 and give our fans another way to enjoy one of the world’s most popular sporting events.”
This collaboration between CBS and Nickelodeon is not new, as they have teamed up for the past four seasons. However, this will be the first time they will do more than one broadcast. Additionally, Nickelodeon will also have a game on Christmas for the second consecutive year when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Super Bowl broadcast on Nickelodeon will be the third time an NFL playoff game has aired on the network. The previous two wild-card-round games in 2020 and 2021 were well-received by fans. The Nickelodeon presentations are known for their eye-popping graphics, featuring slime-filled end zones and appearances by SpongeBob SquarePants between the goalposts during field goal attempts. These broadcasts have not only introduced a younger age group to the basics of the game but also kept parents engaged with the action happening on the field.
The first Nickelodeon broadcast, featuring the New Orleans Saints against the Chicago Bears in a 2020 NFC wild-card-round game, averaged 2.06 million viewers. Last season’s Christmas game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams averaged 906,000 viewers. The highlight of the game was SpongeBob sidekick Patrick Star roasting Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson after an interception.
“We are unbelievably proud to partner with CBS Sports and the NFL to bring Nick’s personality and unique visual sensibility to the Super Bowl,” said Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon CEO Brian Robbins. “As we’ve shown with our prior zeitgeist-busting Wild Card and Nickmas coverage, combining the absolute excitement of NFL action with the creativity that can only come from Nickelodeon’s cool POV makes for a must-see event for kids and families everywhere.”
The crew for this season’s Nickelodeon games has not been announced yet. In the past three seasons, Noah Eagle, “NFL Today” analyst Nate Burleson, and Nick star Gabrielle Nevaeh Green were in the booth.
In addition to the United States, the Nickelodeon Super Bowl broadcast will also air in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand on a delayed basis.
The partnership between the NFL, CBS Sports, and Nickelodeon has proven to be a success, capturing the attention of both young and old fans alike. With its innovative graphics and engaging presentation, Nickelodeon has managed to make football more accessible and enjoyable for children while keeping parents entertained. The upcoming Super Bowl broadcast on Nickelodeon is expected to be another unforgettable experience that brings together the excitement of NFL action and the creativity of Nickelodeon’s unique perspective.