Get ready for more niche broadcasts from the NFL’s partners. Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reports that Disney is exploring their own kids-themed NFL broadcasts to match the Nickelodeon broadcast during the Wild Card Playoff game.
ViacomCBS, Nickelodeon’s parent company, instituted the new format for last year’s Chicago Bears Wild Card loss to the New Orleans Saints. It was a big hit for Nickelodeon, which is now diving deeper into NFL coverage with a weekly show dedicated to the sport. They are also bringing the “slime game” back in January.
“Look, Disney invented kids’ entertainment,” a source told Front Office Sports. “They’ve had to sit back watching Nickelodeon and CBS pound their chests all year. Well, Disney thinks they can do it better when it comes to reaching kids and families.”
The options for Disney are wide-ranging, from a Star Wars-themed broadcast that could pit the Rebels against the Empire or a similar format to their Avengers NBA broadcast from earlier this year. Disney afforded ESPN access to Marvel properties for their “Arena of Heroes” game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Golden State Warriors on May 3.
Disney and the NFL declined to comment on the report to FOS as the mouse house works to finalize their plan to use during a Monday Night Football broadcast down the line or for their Wild Card game.
Whatever they end up agreeing to, it’s clear that there is a marketplace for engaging younger fans, and the league isn’t getting in the way. McCarthy noted that the NFL’s chief media and business officer, Brian Rolapp, is encouraging broadcast partners to dive into their imagination with alternate broadcasts.
“Collaboration across Nickelodeon, CBS Sports, and NFL Media will allow us to deliver authentic and fun NFL coverage all season long,” Said Amanda Herald, vice president of NFL marketing strategy and insights when the league expanded their Nickelodeon relationship.
Traditional and new media lines are blurring more and more every day, making it inevitable that Mickey Mouse, Darth Vader, or Iron Man gets involved in the gridiron action.