Quick Hits

ViacomCBS Details Plans for Kid-Focused NFL Wild-Card Game

Dec 15, 2020 | 06:35 pm

UPDATED Feb 19, 2023 | 03:34 pm

The NFL is trying to reach a kid-friendly broadcast.

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Slime, googly eyes, and virtual filters are coming to the NFL.

ViacomCBS is going all-in on a kid-focused broadcast of its Jan. 10 wild-card game on Nickelodeon.

Coverage begins with a Von Miller-hosted special highlighting SpongeBob’s best sports moments. A few other things viewers can look forward to:

A preview of the series “Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years” at halftime
Appearances from “All That” stars Gabrielle Nevaeh Green and Lex Lumpkin
Over-the-top animated graphics in replay packages
A new website, NFLNickPlay.com, featuring football lessons and exclusive pre-game content

ViacomCBS reportedly paid around $70 million for the game. Amazon Prime Video will also stream the main CBS broadcast.

As new NFL rights negotiations get underway, networks are vying for more viewers to potentially sweeten their status with the league.

Disney has tested airing different versions of one football game across multiple networks, with an upcoming wild-card broadcast on Freeform tailored to young, female viewers.

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