For the first time ever, Nickelodeon will be hosting an alternate telecast of the Super Bowl this year. And it sounds like the broadcast is going to start off with a bang as CBS has confirmed that the production with begin with SpongeBob Squarepants recreating his iconic “Sweet Victory” performance from the show.
The original “performance” of the song took place during the SpongeBob Squarepants episode “Band Geeks” from season 2, on Sept. 7, 2001. In the episode, Squidward was tasked with forming a band to play at the “Bubble Bow” – an obvious spoof on the Super Bowl – and tried to teach characters from Bikini Bottom how to play various instruments to perform at the big event.
Things didn’t go well, leading Squidward to assume the worst when the band went to perform. But SpongeBob surprised him with what has now become an iconic performance of a classic rock-sounding ballad called “Sweet Victory.”
Now, over two decades after the episode originally aired, SpongeBob will be performing the song to kick off the broadcast of the actual Super Bowl – not just the fictitious “Bubble Bowl.”
CBS Sports gave a little sneak peek of the performance on social media, telling fans, “You asked for it. You got it.”
You asked for it. You got it.
Sweet Victory will kick off @Nickelodeon's presentation of Super Bowl LVIII next Sunday 🧽 🎺 🏈 pic.twitter.com/xvQN4fa8mh
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 1, 2024
The performance will be part of the Nickelodeon alternate broadcast titled Super Bowl LVIII Live from Bikini Bottom, which will feature an animated SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star in the booth along with CBS Sports commentators Nate Burleson and Noah Eagle. The special broadcast will also feature Sandy Cheeks, who will be making her sideline reporting debut, along with Larry the Lobster providing some live commentary.
The broadcast will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11 with the performance of “Sweet Victory” kicking things off.
