Nickelodeon’s NFL playoff broadcasts have been very well-received the last two years, so it’s no surprise the kid’s network would want to continue to explore sports-related programming.
Yesterday in an exclusive story from Variety’s Brian Steinberg, we learned what Nick’s next venture into the space will be: the Slime Cup a golf competition featuring professional golfers, NFL players, and Nickelodeon actors. Gabrielle Neveah Green, who’s done great work in the booth alongside Noah Eagle and Nate Burleson on the Wild Card games, will also be involved in commentary.
Via Variety:
After broadcasting two NFL Wild Card games aimed at kids in the past two football seasons, the ViacomCBS outlet will next tackle golf. Nickelodeon plans to air a new one-hour special, “Nickelodeon Slime Cup,” that sets four teams of three against each other on a “Nick-ified” golf course with one-of-kind tee boxes, physical challenges, and far-out fairways. Each team will consist of a professional golfer, a celebrity, and a Nickelodeon star.
“We are inventing our own golf match,” says Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, in an interview. “It’s definitely different.”
The golf side is packed with committed stars, too, including #1 men’s player in the world Jon Rahm, #2 men’s player Colin Morikawa, #7 men’s player Justin Thomas, and #11 ranked women’s player Lexi Thompson. Saquon Barkley and Justin Herbert are in as well, alongside actor Terry Crews, his son (and Nick star) Isaiah Crews, and other Nick stars Kate Godfrey, Jaidyn Triplett and Tyler Wladis.
As for the show/competition itself, it sounds like a bigger, more Nickelodeon version of Holey Moley, but with more than just putting on display. Paramount/Nickelodeon chief Brian Robbins gave a few details on the format:
The teams will compete in a two-round tournament, with holes inspired by Nickelodeon shows, all in hopes of reaching “The Unfairway,”an unpredictable final round that will take place inside the Rose Bowl stadium. The victors win the title cup a slime-green blazer, and, of course, the honor of getting Nickelodeon’s signature goo dumped on them.
“This is really about making a fun, entertaining golf show,” says Robbins. “I think you know a lot of dads play golf, and getting to watch this with your kids really will be fun.”
(Plenty of moms play golf too, Brian, just saying.)
Honestly, it does sound fun. Is it going to be silly and ridiculous and aimed almost entirely at children? Of course. But that’s not a bad thing. And for parents who do like professional golf and hope to get their kids into the game, this really is a gateway. Even if you don’t have kids or have a lot of regular interest in children’s entertainment (raises hand), the idea of seeing Jon Rahm and Lexi Thompson trying to hit golf shots around some kind of outlandish Nick-themed golf/obstacle course has a lot of absurdist appeal.
If you do want to watch, you’re going to have to wait a while; the Slime Cup won’t air until this summer.
[Variety]
