NFL playoff broadcast on Nickelodeon draws positive reactions from fans on social media

The NFL playoff game between the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears took place on Sunday and its broadcast on Nickelodeon was a reminder of why fans shouldn't take football too seriously. Only last month, the NFL announced its decision to partner with Nickelodeon to broadcast the playoff games and it appears to have struck a chord with the viewers. The kid-focused network's version of the game saw celebrity kid commentators, slime-infused first down lines, as well as Spongebob Squarepants characters explaining the rules of the game.

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Saints vs Bears: NFL Nickelodeon broadcast lauded by fans

This season's NFL is clearly something out of the ordinary. In addition to the NFL playoffs expanding from 12 to 14 teams, the league put together a kid-focused broadcast of the Saints vs Bears NFC wild-card game on Nickelodeon. The Nickelodeon feed aired alongside the traditional CBS broadcast of the game but with some very different graphics. 

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Nickelodeon's broadcast of the game converted the typical football viewing experience into a children’s aesthetic with simpler graphics as well as a casual broadcast crew of fictional characters explaining the game’s complexities. The pregame show featured a conversation between Spongebob characters explaining what football actually is.  

During timeouts, the Nickelodeon crew peppered in some cartoon impersonations and the broadcast also included digital slime pouring into the end zone when a team crossed the goal line. Although the stadiums are mostly or entirely empty, some of the seats are filled by the Spongbob characters. The broadcast also highlighted the importance of team relationships for youngsters to understand along with some inspirational messages. 

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Nickelodeon's broadcast of the NFL playoff game left several fans in awe. On Twitter, one wrote, "If they don't broadcast every game of the NFL on Nickelodeon next season, it will be a travesty." Another added, "Whoever had the idea to broadcast the NFL game on Nickelodean deserves a raise". A Saints fan wrote, "My team won on Sunday but I feel like the day was made even better due to the Nickelodeon highlights".   

The Saints recorded a 21-9 win over the Bears at the final whistle. The Saints have now set up a mouthwatering divisional-round meeting next weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.   

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Image Credits - AP