| Puppy Bowl | |
|---|---|
 Logo used from 2005–2018 | |
| Genre | Homage tosports television |
| Narrated by |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Melinda Toporoff[1] |
| Running time |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Animal Planet |
| Release | February 6, 2005 (2005-2-6) – present |
| Related | |
| Puppy Games | |
ThePuppy Bowl is an annual television program onAnimal Planet that mimics anAmerican football game similar to theSuper Bowl, usingpuppies.[2] Shown each year onSuper Bowl Sunday, the show consists of footage of a batch of puppies at play inside a model stadium,[3] with commentary on their actions. The firstPuppy Bowl was shown on February 6, 2005, opposite toSuper Bowl XXXIX. The puppies featured in thePuppy Bowl are from shelters.[4] The program is designed to raise awareness about adopting pets from shelters and rescuing abandoned animals.[5]
According to the show's producers, the inspiration forPuppy Bowl asSuper Bowl counterprogramming came from the popularYule LogChristmas program.[2][6][7][8]
Several months of planning occur before each show, which is usually shot in October.[9][10][11] Aveterinarian is on site during the production ofPuppy Bowl to ensure animal safety and well-being, and to administer any veterinary medical care which might be needed.[4][12][13] Representatives from theAmerican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as the shelters which lend their animals to the production, are also on-site as observers to ensure animal welfare standards are maintained.[4][13] In 2012, anAmerican Humane Association representative was always on-site to ensure that puppies did not become too aggressive and injure one another.[12][14]
According to its associate producer, about 53 hours of videoing are needed to produce a single Puppy Bowl.[4] In 2007, shooting occurred over three days.[2] Roughly 30 staff members were needed in 2008 to produce the show.[2] In 2010, the veterinarian on site said shooting was spread over three days, while in 2015 the videoing occurred in 12-hour blocks over two days.[9] Puppies are given a rest period every 30 minutes, due to the heat from the lights.[4] Forty-six puppies were used in 2008,[2] and about 60 puppies in 2010. The 2011 production occurred in the New York City area in the fall of 2010, using 47 puppies,[3][6] while the 2012 show featured 58 puppies.[15] The 2013 show (shot at a television studio in west midtown inManhattan) featured 63 puppies, with 10 on the field at one time.[14] Shooting occurred over two days.[12] The 2014 episode was videoed October 2 to 4, 2013, at the Chelsea Broadcast Center inManhattan, New York City. A staff of 49 Animal Planet employees and 48 volunteers wrangled the animals, with each puppy assigned a single human overseer.[1] Cats were shot the first day, dogs the second, and other animals on the fourth.[1] A total of 66 puppies were used for the show in 2014,[16] including a basset hound with a genetic defect to its paw.[17] This allowed 12 to 15 puppies to be on the field at a time, and for puppies to be given rest periods every 20 minutes.[1] Another 30 untrained kittens, five penguins, three trained adult cats, eight "tailgate party" dogs, four police dogs, and six hamsters were used in the 2014 show.[1] All the animals except the penguins (which were provided by theColumbus Zoo and Aquarium) are adoptable.[1] In 2015, 37 shelters from around the United States and Puerto Rico submitted 85 puppies for the event, of which 55 puppies were chosen to be on the air. Another 25 kittens were used for the half-time show.[9] Forty-four shelters and rescue groups in 25 states provided 49 animals in 2016.[18][10][19] (Eighty-eight animals "auditioned".)[20] Videoing returned to an eight-hour-a-day, three-day format in 2016, with two days used for videoing puppies and one day for kittens and other animals. Sixty personnel were needed for shooting.[10] Puppies were grouped by size (small, medium, and large) for on-field play.[21] ForPuppy Bowl XIII, 34 shelters and rescue organizations in 22 states and Puerto Rico provided the 78 puppies featured on the show.[11][22]
Puppy Bowl is shot inside a miniaturePlexiglas "stadium" that is 19 feet (5.8 m) long by 10 feet (3.0 m) wide.[1][2][14][10] Only puppies between 12 and 21 weeks old are allowed on the show,[17] and there is a height and weight limit due to the size limitations of the play area.[2] Puppies must show that they are well-socialized with people and with other puppies, and that they have the full range of vaccinations.[23] A wide variety of toys are placed inside the "stadium". Although there is no minimum or maximum limit on how many toys may be in the stadium, show producers say that toys which make the loudest noise or which are sausage-shaped get the most attention. Toys are usually switched out every 20 minutes, and often more frequently.[1] Peanut butter is smeared around camera lenses to induce the puppies to lick the camera.[17][10] About 80 ounces (2,300 g) of peanut butter are used for the taping, along with 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of drydog food, 500dog treats, and 250 toys.[24]
The various cameras used to tape the show generated about 50 hours of footage in 2011,[2] but more than 90 hours in 2012 (for the 2013 airing).[14] Some cameras are placed inside toys, to give a puppy's-eye view of the action.[12] In 2015, 18 cameras were used, and several weeks were needed to edit the footage into a two-hour program.[9] Fifteen cameras were used in 2016,[25] and more than 100 hours of footage generated for the 2017 show.[24]
The first fivePuppy Bowls were narrated byHarry Kalas, a narrator forNFL Films and longtime play-by-play voice of thePhiladelphia Phillies.[2][26] ThePuppy Bowls from 2010 to 2011 were narrated by Jeff Bordner and then byScott Graham from 2012 until 2020.
ThePuppy Bowl consists of a number ofpuppies playing in a model stadium ("GEICO Stadium") with no audience (but with canned audience cheering), commentary, andinstant replay shots. A "bowl cam" provides shots upwards through the transparent bottom of a special water bowl built into the stadium floor, with a wide-angle lens that allows viewers to watch the puppies drink water (and walk through it) up close.[2] Ten full-size digital cameras and fiveGoPro miniature digital cameras were used in 2014 to capture the action. These numbers include the hidden cameras in the water bowl and toys.[1]
A human "rufferee" watches over the "action on the field." In the first few years ofPuppy Bowl, this was a crew member randomly selected each year. Beginning in 2008, it was Animal Planet associate producer Andrew Schechter.[4][6] For the 2012Puppy Bowl, Schechter was replaced bySportsNet New York andBeer Money! host Dan Schachner,[27] who has hosted the show ever since.[1][16][9][10][11] He auditioned by submitting a tape showing him trying to organize a dog football game among unwitting dog-owners at a public park.[10]Football terminology is often used by the announcer and referee to illustrate the puppies' behavior and actions. To score a touchdown, a puppy must carry any of the many toys on the field (typically via the mouth) into either of the two end zones; the result is seven points for its team, starting in Puppy Bowl XI. To score a field goal, a puppy must kick a toy into either of the two end zones; the result is three points for its team, starting in Puppy Bowl XI. Touchdowns happen more often than field goals. Occasionally, a "double touchdown" may occur when a puppy races with a toy from one end zone to the next. In 2016, a "team touchdown" occurred as two puppies carried the same toy into the end zone.[25]
"Penalties" are issued for puppies relieving themselves on the field.Timeouts are called if the water bowl needs to be refilled, or if the puppies begin to fight (a behavior called "unnecessary rrruff-ness").[2] The show uses puns to mimic the rules of professional football, including paws interference (pass interference), ruff sides (offsides), and dog-collar tackle (horse-collar tackle). Unique "penalties" called may also include howling, illegal bathing (playing in the water bowl), napping on the field, premature watering of the lawn (urination),[1] "excessive fertilization" (defecation), "neutral bone infraction" (neutral zone infraction), and "ineligible retriever downfield" (ineligible receiver downfield).[10] Three special "penalty calls" were introduced in 2015: "Terrorizing the ref" (for a puppy who acts aggressively toward the referee), "paws interference" (for when a puppy blocks another) and "pancaking" (for when a tired puppy sprawls on the floor instead of playing).[28] Penalties, however, do not disadvantage the offender.
Each year, a Most Valuable Puppy (or MVP) is chosen at the end of the show for the puppy considered to be the stand-out performer of the event. Beginning withPuppy Bowl XI, viewers were allowed to vote for the MVP. MVP voting was permitted for the program's airing.[9]
Although puppies may urinate or defecate on the field as frequently as once every 20 seconds, all but one of the incidents is edited out of the show.[1] In 2016, 315 plastic bags were needed to retrieve feces, and more than 1,500 absorbent pads used to clean up urination.[10] Puppies occasionally engage in sexual activity, but this is edited out of the program.[10]
The running time ofPuppy Bowls I through IV was 180 minutes (including commercials). The running time ofPuppy Bowl V was decreased to 120 minutes (including commercials). Jessie Dinh, producer at Discovery Studios, explained the reason for the decrease: "We only did two hours this year so that we had the opportunity to include some other fun elements."[29]
2015'sPuppy Bowl XI introduced team-based competition to Puppy Bowl for the first time. Puppies were divided into two teams, Teams "Ruff" and "Fluff", each identifiable by a different coloredbandana worn throughout the event. Points were tallied on a scoreboard powered by a hamster running on a wheel. The team with the most points was declared the victor.[30][9] Team Ruff overwhelmed their opponents 87–49 to become the first-ever Puppy Bowl champions.[31]
InPuppy Bowl XII, Team Ruff won again by a score of 70–44.[25]
InPuppy Bowl XIII, Team Fluff upset the heavily favored Team Ruff by a score of 93–38.[32]
InPuppy Bowl XIV, Team Fluff won again in a close margin of 52–47.[33]
InPuppy Bowl XV, Team Ruff overturned Team Fluff's winning streak by a score of 59–51.[34]
InPuppy Bowl XVI, Team Fluff returned to winning by a score of 63–59.[35]
InPuppy Bowl XVII, Team Ruff's incredible fourth quarter comeback gave them the win by a score of 73–69. Most Valuable Puppy Marshall scored a double touchdown.[36]
InPuppy Bowl XVIII, Team Fluff won on a game-winning touchdown when time expired, which gave Team Fluff a 73–69 win.[37]
InPuppy Bowl XIX, Team Fluff won with a score of 87–83. the game winning touchdown was scored by Vivianne the Siberian Husky/Rottweiler/Neapolitan Mastiff mix.[38]
InPuppy Bowl XX, Team Ruff won with a score of 72–69. The winning field goal was by Cookie.[39]
InPuppy Bowl XXI, Team Ruff was winning for most of the end until a last second turnaround made Team Fluff the champion winning 68-66.[40]
Team Fluff currently leads the series 6-5.
Like the Super Bowl itself, one canbet on which team they think will win. On top of that, there are many other fun prop bets designed to be lowrisk, as sportsbooks limit bets to a few hundred dollars at most.[41] The airing of the show is not live, though, so bettors must get their action in before it starts on Super Bowl Sunday.
Starting withPuppy Bowl II, at the 1 hour, 15 minute mark, the puppies leave the field and a large scratching post is brought out with a wide variety of kittens for the Kitty Half-Time Show. This features kittens playing for 30 minutes withlights,laser pointers, balls ofyarn, ascratching post, flint sweepers, and a wide variety of other toys. The grand finale of thePuppy Bowl II Half-Time Show was aconfetti blast that sent most of the cats running away scared.Puppy Bowl III did not show the cats' departure from the field. The halftime show ofPuppy Bowl IV in 2008 was only 15 minutes in length. In 2012, Animal Planet said that 20 kittens would be part of the Kitty Half-Time Show.[15] This number increased to 21 for the 2013 airing.[14] All the kittens are also animals from shelters, and are adoptable.[12]
The "stadium" is outfitted with a variety of scratching posts and toys that move to interest the kittens and encourage them to move about. This does not usually work, however, andcatnip is distributed over the set to help the kittens be more active and interested in their surroundings.[12]
In 2009, a model blimp (supposedly floating over thePuppy Bowl) was added.[42] The "blimp" mimics the appearance of theGoodyear Blimp over many outdoor football events. Shots of the puppies at play weregreen-screened into the windows to make it appear as if the "blimp" was actually hovering over the field. Inside the model of the blimp's control room,hamsters are allowed to play (as if they were the crew of the blimp).[6][42] The blimp returned in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Beginning in 2010, "bunny cheerleaders" (rabbits) were shown, as if these animals were on the sidelines. In 2011, the "bunny cheerleaders" were replaced by "chicken cheerleaders" (hens androosters).[6] The bunnies andchickens were replaced by fivepigs in a "Piggy Pep Squad" in 2012.[15]Hedgehog cheerleaders were introduced for 2013, and replaced withpenguins in 2014.[43]
Also beginning in 2010, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) began sponsoring thePuppy Bowl.[44][45] A veterinarian was shown giving each puppy a physical prior to participation, provided care to any animal which might appear injured, and provided tips to viewers about proper animal care. Dr. Elisa Mazzaferro, Director of Emergency Services at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital in Denver, Colorado, provided the official on-camera care for the puppies and other animals.[46]
A new element for 2011 was a parody of the popular "Kiss Cam" used at sporting events. The "Kiss Cam" returned from 2012 through 2020.[27]
Two other new elements were added in 2012: acockatiel named Meep "tweeted" about the game from the sidelines (using theTwitter social media network), andJill Rappaport, a TV reporter and animal advocate, providedcolor commentary.[27]
The hamsters in the blimp and Meep the "tweeting" cockatiel were retained for the 2013 show, but the piglet cheerleaders were replaced by babyhedgehogs intutus.[14][47][48] Owners of hedgehogs volunteered the use of their animals for the show. The tutus, however, did not stay on the animals.[12] A new "Puppy Cam" (a miniature wide camera attached to a puppy's collar) was added in place of the "Kiss Cam", to provide viewers with a puppy's-eye-view of the action. A new feature in the 2013 game is the "Cute Cam," the slow-mo camera. Additionally, the human "stars" of Animal Planet's reality TV shows were added in 2013 as commentators. Another addition is a "special puppy hot tub" (a large pan of water) in which puppies will relax prior to or after their time on the field.
For the 2014 edition of the Puppy Bowl, the tenth anniversary of the show,First LadyMichelle Obama opened the show with footage of puppies being "trained" for thePuppy Bowl on theSouth Lawn of theWhite House.[49]Police dogs appeared on the field when thenational anthem was played.[50] Returning as the official "tweeter" of the show was Meep the cockatiel.[43] Thedwarf catLil Bub was added as a "commentator" broadcasting from a Chicago studio.[50] In reference to the Super Bowl's halftime show withBruno Mars,Keyboard Cat "played" his song "Locked Out of Heaven" during the halftime show.[50] The half-time show also featured 30 kittens topplingdominoes and a kitten "parachuting" onto the field.[50] To increase interactivity with fans of the show, the Puppy Bowl X online site allowed fans to play a "Fantasy Puppy League" (similar tofantasy football) featuring the 2014 puppies, gave fans the chance to vote for the "Most Valuable Puppy" during the event, and gave viewers the opportunity to post photos of their own animals and Puppy Bowl parties viaInstagram.[43][50]Entertainment Weekly reporter James Hibbered commented on the changes by noting, "Animal Planet is simply embracing viral-video favorites and ratcheting up the sports-spoof silliness to a new level this year."[50]
Animal Planet established a "Puppy Bowl Experience" at theDiscovery Times Square exhibition space. The "experience" included a 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) area where people could play with puppies, a recreation of the Puppy Bowl set, and advertising sponsor areas.[7][43]
An emphasis on adopting pets from shelters became a focus of the show in 2014 as well. A total of 33 shelters from 18 states and the territory ofPuerto Rico supplied shelter animals (dogs, cats, hamsters, etc.) for the Puppy Bowl.[1] All the animals on the show (except for the penguins) are shelter animals, and usually all are adopted by the time the show airs.[1] Throughout the program, updates on the status of each of the adopted puppies was given. Throughout the program, however, the adoption journey of Rosie (now named Scout), a three-month-old Chihuahua/terrier mix, was followed from her arrival at the shelter to her life with her new family.[23]
Puppy Bowl XI featured fiveNigerian dwarf goats as cheerleaders. "Katty Furry", a cat depicted playingKaty Perry songs inYouTube videos, was the "half-time performer".[9] MVPs were chosen in each of the program's first three airings. Puppies were divided for the first time into teams, and a hamster-powered scoreboard kept score.[9] Celebrities such asAndy Cohen,Whitney Cummings, andReese Witherspoon appeared on the program to root for "their team", and an animated short featuringThe Simpsons played during the show. Animals with substantial followings onInstagram had images submitted, showing their support for each team as well.[18] Afantasy footballdraft was introduced to allow fans to pick the puppy they felt would score the most points.[citation needed]
Puppy Bowl XII was preceded by "Road to the Puppy Bowl" events across the United States in fall and winter 2015. Local animal shelters and rescue groups partnered with Animal Planet on these events, during which thousands of animals were adopted.[18][19] Turbo thetortoise[20] suffered awardrobe malfunction (inspired by theSuper Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy) during the half-time entertainment.Silkiechickens served as cheerleaders, and askunk helped referee the show.[10]
The 2017Puppy Bowl XIII featured three special-needs dogs: Doobert, who is deaf; Lucky, who had her right front leg amputated; and Winston, who is both sight- and hearing-impaired.[11][51] An hour-long "pre-game show", scheduled to air an hour prior to the Puppy Bowl, and a "Puppy Bowl Virtual Reality" feature (the game seen through the eyes of a puppy), were also added. Halftime entertainment featured "Kitty Gaga" and the Chicago Rock Cats.[13][24]Guinea pigs and rabbits were the 2017 cheerleaders, and famous pets of Instagram returned.[24] For the first time, Team Ruff and Team Fluff competed for the fictional "Lombarky Trophy" (a parody of theLombardi Trophy), and each team had a mascot (a rescuedscreech owl for Team Ruff, and a rescuedchinchilla for Team Fluff).[52]
InPuppy Bowl XVII, there were puppy “cheerleaders” for both teams on their respective sidelines.[53] In Puppy Bowl XVI, the cheerleaders were armadillos for Ruff and goats for Fluff.
| No. | Puppy Bowl | Most Valuable Puppy | Winning Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puppy Bowl I | Max, aJack Russell Terrier | No Winner | N/A |
| 2 | Puppy Bowl II | Monseigneur Jacques, aFrench poodle | No Winner | N/A |
| 3 | Puppy Bowl III | Bomber, aSamoyed | No Winner | N/A |
| 4 | Puppy Bowl IV | Abigail, aJack Russell Terrier | No Winner | N/A |
| 5 | Puppy Bowl V | Matilda, aBeagle | No Winner | N/A |
| 6 | Puppy Bowl VI | Jake, aChihuahua/Pug Mix | No Winner | N/A |
| 7 | Puppy Bowl VII | CB, aShih Tzu/Terrier Mix | No Winner | N/A |
| 8 | Puppy Bowl VIII | Fumble, aTerrier Mix | No Winner | N/A |
| 9 | Puppy Bowl IX | Fitz, aCatahoula Mix | No Winner | N/A |
| 10 | Puppy Bowl X | Loren, aBrittany | No Winner | N/A |
| 11 | Puppy Bowl XI | Henry, aLab Mix | Team Ruff | 87–49 |
| 12 | Puppy Bowl XII | Star, aChow Chow Mix | Team Ruff | 70–44 |
| 13 | Puppy Bowl XIII | Rory, apoodle mix | Team Fluff | 93–38 |
| 14 | Puppy Bowl XIV | Bear, aPit Bull/Foxhound Mix | Team Fluff | 52–47 |
| 15 | Puppy Bowl XV | Bumble, aLab/Chow Chow Mix | Team Ruff | 59–51 |
| 16 | Puppy Bowl XVI[54] | Gina, aLab/Chow Chow Mix | Team Fluff | 63–59 |
| 17 | Puppy Bowl XVII | Marshall, aBoston Terrier | Team Ruff | 73–69 |
| 18 | Puppy Bowl XVIII | Kirby, a Labrador | Team Fluff | 73–69 |
| 19 | Puppy Bowl XIX | Pickle, aPomeranian/Papillon Mix | Team Fluff | 87–83 (OT)[55] |
| 20 | Puppy Bowl XX | Moosh, anAustralian Shepherd Mix | Team Ruff | 72–69 |
| 21 | Puppy Bowl XXI | Foxtrot, aBorder Collie | Team Fluff | 68–66 |
| 22 | Puppy Bowl XXII | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| No. | Puppy Bowl | Original release date | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puppy Bowl I | February 6, 2005 (2005-2-6) | 5.58[56] |
| 2 | Puppy Bowl II | February 5, 2006 (2006-2-5) | 7.0[57] |
| 3 | Puppy Bowl III | February 4, 2007 (2007-2-4) | 7.5[58] |
| 4 | Puppy Bowl IV | February 3, 2008 (2008-2-3) | 8.5 |
| 5 | Puppy Bowl V | February 1, 2009 (2009-2-1) | 1.152[59] |
| 6 | Puppy Bowl VI | February 7, 2010 (2010-2-7) | 1.1[3] |
| 7 | Puppy Bowl VII | February 6, 2011 (2011-2-6) | 1.7[60] |
| 8 | Puppy Bowl VIII | February 5, 2012 (2012-2-5) | 1.6[61] |
| 9 | Puppy Bowl IX | February 3, 2013 (2013-2-3) | 2.631[62] |
| 10 | Puppy Bowl X | February 2, 2014 (2014-2-2) | 3.254[63] |
| 11 | Puppy Bowl XI | February 1, 2015 (2015-2-1) | 2.767[64] |
| 12 | Puppy Bowl XII | February 7, 2016 (2016-2-7) | 2.198[65] |
| 13 | Puppy Bowl XIII | February 5, 2017 (2017-2-5) | 2.47[66] |
| 14 | Puppy Bowl XIV | February 4, 2018 (2018-2-4) | 3.05[67] |
| 15 | Puppy Bowl XV | February 3, 2019 (2019-2-3) | 1.854 |
| 16 | Puppy Bowl XVI[54] | February 2, 2020 (2020-2-2) | 1.85[61] |
| 17 | Puppy Bowl XVII | February 7, 2021 (2021-2-7) | 2.11[61] |
| 18 | Puppy Bowl XVIII | February 13, 2022 (2022-2-13) | 1.73[61] |
| 19 | Puppy Bowl XIX | February 12, 2023 (2023-2-12) | 13.2[a][69] |
| 20 | Puppy Bowl XX | February 11, 2024 (2024-2-11) | 12.6[b][71] |
| 21 | Puppy Bowl XXI | February 9, 2025 (2025-2-9) | 12.8[b][72] |
| 22 | Puppy Bowl XXII | February 8, 2026 (2026-2-8) | TBD |
Puppy Bowl III, which aired on February 4, 2007, had 7.5 million viewers.[2]
Puppy Bowl IV, which aired on Animal Planet on February 3, 2008, had more than 8 million viewers for all its broadcasts, for a total increase of 1,060% from its first airing in 2005.[73] It was also the firstPuppy Bowl broadcast inhigh definition.[73]
Puppy Bowl VI aired on February 7, 2010, and a record 1.1 million viewers watched the first broadcast alone.[3]
Puppy Bowl VII aired on February 6, 2011, with a total of 9.2 million viewers over the twelve hours it was aired. The actual premiere drew 1.7 million viewers, up 60% from last year.[60]Puppy Bowl VII in 2011 had a total 9.2 million estimated viewers for all airings.[74]
Puppy Bowl VIII aired on February 5, 2012. This airing was the second most-watchedsocial television program in America, with more than 10 million viewers over five airings.[75] This included an increase of 17% in ratings in its target demographic group (adults age 25-to-54).[47] More than 200,000Puppy Bowl-relatedtweets were made on that day.[75]
Puppy Bowl X aired six times over 12 hours on February 2, 2014, with new content added for each airing.[1] A record 13.5 million people watched the show's six airings.[28]
Puppy Bowl XI aired on February 1, 2015, and was watched by 2,767,000 viewers in its initial airing.[76][19]
Puppy Bowl XII aired on February 7, 2016, and was watched by about 2.2 million viewers in its initial airing (a drop of about 21% over 2015),[19] and 9.3 million viewers (including time-shifted viewing) over all airings. It was the number one non-sports program on cable among adults aged 25-to-54 and among women aged 18-to-49 during its initial 3 PM-to-5 PM airing. It was the number two most-watched program on all television (cable and broadcast) from 3 PM-to-5 PM among adults aged 25-to-54 and among women aged 18-to-49. Only the Super Bowl itself had more viewers. This was the fourth year in a row that the Puppy Bowl's initial airing was the second most-watched program in the nation those demographic groups.[18]
Puppy Bowl XVI aired on February 2, 2020.[54]
Puppy Bowl XVII aired on February 7, 2021.[77]
Puppy Bowl XVIII aired on February 13, 2022.[78]
Puppy Bowl XIX aired on February 12, 2023, and was simulcast on Animal Planet,TBS,Discovery Channel,Discovery+ and HBO Max (nowMax).[79] It was the first puppy bowl to go intoovertime.[55]
Puppy Bowl XX aired on February 11, 2024.[80]
Puppy Bowl XXI aired on February 9, 2025.
Advertising revenue for the 2013 show was up 19% over 2012, and drew a number of new advertisers. For the first time, Animal Planet allowed commercial branding of its "stadium" in 2013 as well. It was referred to throughout the program as the "GEICO Puppy Bowl Stadium".[47] An aggregate of 12.4 million viewers watched part of all six airings of the Puppy Bowl in 2013.[7][50]
Advertising revenue for the 2014 Puppy Bowl rose 30% over 2013. Three new companies became sponsors of the show, andMars, Incorporated'sSheba cat food company sponsored a new "cat VIP suite".[7]
A spinoff of thePuppy Bowl, known asPuppy Games, aired oppositeNBC's primetime broadcast of theopening ceremonies of the2008 Summer Olympics on August 8, 2008. ThePuppy Games included swimming, gymnastics, boxing, and soccer, and kittens were used for the "opening ceremony." John Ramey and Mary Beth Smith, respectively, served as the play-by-play announcer and color commentator for the event.[81]
Another spinoff, theDog Bowl, aired on February 3, 2018, a day beforePuppy Bowl XIV. It features 50 dogs ages 2–15 years separated into "Oldies" and "Goldies" and promotes the adoption of older dogs.[82] A second edition,Dog Bowl II, aired February 2, 2019.[83] A third edition,Dog Bowl III, aired on February 1, 2020.[54]
ThePuppy Bowl is the inspiration forHallmark Channel'sKitten Bowl, which first aired in 2014.[49][84] TheDog Bowl also inspired the creation of theCat Bowl, which was first aired in 2019. TheCat Bowl features adult cats instead of kittens.[85]
In addition, thePuppy Bowl also inspired theFish Bowl, four hours of goldfish swimming in a bowl, which first aired in 2014 on theNat Geo Wild cable network.[49]Great American Family began to airGreat American Rescue Bowl in 2023, which features both cats and dogs.[86][87]
In 2018,Blizzard hosted anOverwatch-themedPuppy Rumble featuring two teams of puppies playingcapture the flag to celebrate theYear of the Dog in-game event and promote adoption. The event was broadcast live onTwitch.[88][89]
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