Some Experts Believe that the NFL Game on Nickelodeon was Problematic
Football fans watching the Saints and Bears on Sunday had a choice between CBS and the kid’s network Nickelodeon, which was a first for both the NFL and Nickelodeon. In order to cater to kids and make them fans of the game, the National Football League chose to simulcast the game on the kid’s network alongside CBS. Many people were fans of the effort and chose to watch the game on Nickelodeon, even without children. Rules were explained during the game and different characters and personalities were involved while broadcasting. There were also fun graphics like slime cannons when a team scored a touchdown.
With concussions and other head injuries at the forefront of people’s minds, people are criticizing the NFL and Nickelodeon partnering together. Many experts consider football to be a dangerous sport and think that kids should only be playing flag football. Concussions are serious brain injuries and the best way to prevent kids from getting them is to prevent kids from participating in high-risk activities. Even with the proper protective equipment, people can still get concussions and other head injuries. This can especially be true with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease resulting from multiple head impacts.
During the broadcast, the announcers explained head injuries in a dangerous way. When one player hit his head, an announcer equated it to scraping a knee at recess. He said what to do is to get back up and keep playing, which is dangerous advice, especially for children. They need to instead be taught that head injuries are serious and it is best to be careful with any injury, especially injuries with the head.
Sports are great at teaching kids team building skills and at making kids more physically active. At best, sports leagues appealing to children can do just this. At worst, it can bring kids into a sport that is dangerous and can teach bad practices like playing through a severe head injury. If Nickelodeon partners with the NFL again, it needs to explain different injuries in the correct way and needs to explain the risks of playing so parents and children can make the best choice for their families.
If you sustained a head injury, you could be entitled to compensation. Call us at 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form and one of our staff will get back to you as soon as they can. We want to get you the compensation you deserve!
