The English Football League is to launch a new highlights programme aimed at young children after entering into a partnership with the UK and Ireland division of US cable and satellite broadcaster Nickelodeon.
The first episode of Nick Kicks will air on the Nicktoons channel at 8am on Saturday, February 6. The show will then be broadcast every Saturday during the football season until the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
The 22-minute programme will include highlights from each of the Football League’s three divisions – the Championship, League One and League Two. The ITN Productions arm of UK news and multimedia content company ITN will provide the match coverage.
Nick Kicks will combine highlights with features that appeal to a younger audience, such as club visits, player interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon’s most famous character creation, will also take part in a weekly challenge against a club mascot.
“Offering a fun insight into life at clubs up and down the country, Nick Kicks will help us to engage and inspire a new generation of Football League fans,” Shaun Harvey, chief executive of the Football League, said.
In total, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland has committed to producing over 100 episodes of the series across the three seasons.