The US is known for incorporating sponsorship and commercials into their major sports events, and during the Super Bowl, they took an unconventional approach by using a cartoon to explain the rules of American football. Viewers, particularly those unfamiliar with the sport watching in the early hours of Monday morning, received a clear explanation from a children’s cartoon character. It was part of the game’s airing on the children’s TV channel Nickelodeon, which also featured unique elements such as gunge and slime being virtually sprayed over players during touchdown celebrations in the “slime zone”.
There was a mixed reaction to the cartoon’s involvement, with some fans in England expressing disbelief and amusement on social media. There were light-hearted suggestions for other cartoon characters to appear during football games to explain various aspects of the sport, with some fans finding the concept entertaining while others found it cringe-worthy. Aside from the unique broadcast, the game included the typical competitions, special offers, promotions, and adverts from the channel and its partners.
Fans also had the option to exit the community if they were not interested in the content. Some fans found humor in imagining cartoon characters explaining complex game calls, while others were critical of the unconventional approach.
