For the third straight season, the NFL and Nickelodeon will partner for a special Super Wild-Card Weekend broadcast between the 49ers and the Cowboys.
CBS Sports’ Noah Eagle, former NFL wide receiver Nate Burleson and Nickelodeon’s Garbielle Neveah Green (That Girl Lay Lay) will serve as announcers for the game, while Nickelodeon’s Dylan Gilmer (Young Dylan) will be a sideline reporter with Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon) explaining penalty calls.
The game will broadcast nationally on Nickelodeon on Sunday, starting at 4:30 p.m. ET. Viewers will experience enhanced on-field graphics, including augmented reality with an AR blimp that will fly around the stadium and new takes on pregame and halftime shows.
The NFL debuted this broadcast during the 2020 postseason between the Packers and the Eagles. Last season, it aired during the wild-card matchup between the Bears and Saints, a 21-9 victory for New Orleans.
Here’s everything you need to know about watching Sunday’s game between the 49ers and Cowboys.
MORE: Watch 49ers vs. Cowboys live with fuboTV (free trial)
What channel is Nickelodeon?
Here’s a list of the Nickelodeon channel number on popular cable/satellite services:
- DirecTV: 299/300
- Dish Network: 170/171
- AT&T U-Verse: 314 (1314 HD)
- Xfinity: 1728 (HD)
- Verizon Fios: 252 (752 HD)
Nickelodeon is one of the most popular children's television channels in the country. Popular shows on Nickelodeon (previously and currently running) include:
- Spongebob Squarepants
- The Fairly OddParents
- iCarly
- Hey Arnold!
- Rugrats
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
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Nickelodeon launched on Dec. 1, 1977, a short while before ESPN launched. It's owned by ViacomCBS, thus the connection with this particular NFL matchup. As of Sept. 2018, the channel was available to more than 87 million homes in the United States.
Why is 49ers vs. Cowboys on Nickelodeon?
49ers vs. Cowboys is following up on what the station called a “success” of last season’s telecast between the Bears and Saints. This broadcast will feature guest appearances from Nickelodeon characters and more to complement the network’s style.
Last season, Bears vs. Saints was on Nickelodeon to "maximize the co-viewing appeal for kids and families, while maintaining the integrity of the game and its traditions," according to a statement by CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus.
The reason that it's 49ers vs. Cowboys and not a different game is in part because VicomCBS owns both the CBS network and Nickelodeon. Since CBS has the rights to the 49ers vs. Cowboys game, it was a possibility to also be broadcast on Nickelodeon.
How to watch 49ers vs. Cowboys on Nickelodeon
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 16
- Kickoff time: 4:30 p.m. ET
The game will be available on your local CBS affiliate at 4:30 p.m. ET. for a traditional broadcast called by Jim Nantz and Tony Romo.
How to stream 49ers vs. Cowboys on Nickelodeon
- Paramount+, fuboTV
Nickelodeon does not have its own standalone streaming service, but it is available on Paramount+ or as a channel on most major services, including Hulu, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Nickelodeon is also available to stream on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Children watching the game on Nickelodeon can access NFL-themed content on NFLNickPlay.com in the days leading up to and during the game.
What’s different about 49ers vs. Cowboys on Nickelodeon?
Nickelodeon’s broadcast will have a kid-centered focus. As stated above, the game will have original on-field graphics, advanced augmented reality including an AR blimp that will fly throughout the field, a special pregame and halftime presentation, guest appearances from Nickelodeon characters and much more.
One of the game’s top performers will be presented with the Nickelodeon Valuable Player (NVP) award, which can be voted on NFLNickPlay.com.
At halftime, Nickelodeon will show an exclusive look of its brand-new animated series Big Nate, based on the best-selling children’s books and comic strip written and drawn by Lincoln Pierce. The series follows Nate, a sixth-grade kid “who has a never-ending need to prove his awesomeness to the world,” and is set to debut on Paramount+ in early 2022.
NFL playoff schedule: Wild Card round
Saturday, Jan. 9
| Matchup | Start time | TV channel |
| Raiders at Bengals | 4:30 p.m. ET | NBC |
| Patriots at Bills | 8:15 p.m. ET | CBS |
Sunday, Jan. 10
| Matchup | Start time | TV channel |
| Eagles at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| 49ers at Cowboys | 4:30 p.m. ET | CBS, Nickelodeon |
| Steelers at Chiefs | 8:15 p.m. ET | NBC |
Monday, Jan. 11
| Matchup | Start time | TV channel |
| Cardinals at Rams | 8:15 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 |