DENVER (KDVR) — Slime in the end zone and SpongeBob in uprights: the Denver Broncos will get the full Nickelodeon treatment when the network airs a Christmas Day game against the Los Angeles Rams.
The games on Nickelodeon have been marked by cartoon-like augmented reality graphics that drop slime on the field, light up the end zone while firing slime cannons on touchdowns, and mark first down lines with ribbons containing slime waves. The broadcasts also include explainers of game rules at key moments.
Nickelodeon has given similar treatment to NFL highlights in a show called “NFL Slimetime” that aired throughout last season.
The matchup will be the fourth Christmas game in Broncos history, and the third NFL game aired by Nickelodeon. As with the two wild card games previously shown on the kid’s cable channel, a standard game broadcast will be on CBS, while Nickelodeon airs a version geared toward younger viewers.
The games have had their own broadcast teams, a mix of experienced announcers and Nickelodeon stars. While the broadcasts have a unique feel, they’ve also had the standard elements of any NFL game, including the score along the bottom of the screen.
The Christmas Day Broncos-Rams game in California is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MST. It’s part of a holiday triple-header, with Christmas falling on a Sunday this year. The full NFL schedule will be released Thursday night.