CBS Sports announced that Nickelodeon will return with its unique kid-focused NFL broadcast, airing a Wild Card playoff game in January 2025. The broadcast will continue the network's tradition of blending football action with animated elements from SpongeBob SquarePants' underwater world of Bikini Bottom.
The upcoming Wild Card game marks Nickelodeon's fourth NFL playoff broadcast since 2020, building on the success of previous events including Super Bowl LVIII. NFL Today analyst Nate Burleson will return as color commentator, bringing his family-friendly perspective to the broadcast.
Known for its creative use of augmented reality and special effects, the Nickelodeon broadcast transforms traditional football into an entertaining spectacle complete with slime cannons celebrating touchdowns and animated character overlays. Past broadcasts have featured innovative elements like Ninja Turtle avatar replays and SpongeBob SquarePants character integrations.
The network's NFL presentations have proven highly successful with viewers. Their most recent Super Bowl LVIII broadcast drew 1.2 million viewers, exceeding Nickelodeon's typical primetime audience by more than six times. This success follows their groundbreaking Bears-Saints Wild Card broadcast in 2021, which became the network's most-watched program in four years.
While Nickelodeon's annual Christmas Day "NickMas" game moves to Netflix this season, the Wild Card broadcast maintains the network's strong partnership with CBS Sports and the NFL. The exact teams competing will be determined by the 2024 regular season standings.
The broadcast represents part of a growing trend of alternate NFL viewing experiences, as networks seek new ways to engage diverse audience segments. Full details about the production and additional broadcast team members will be announced closer to the game date.
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