If you’re having a ruff day, turn on the annual Puppy Bowl to have a ball.
Sunday’s three-hour matchup will have you fur-getting all about the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs as the players from Team Ruff and Team Fluff compete for the Wayfair “Lombarky” trophy.
Puppy Bowl XIX definitely deserves a round of A-Paws, as it’s almost as anticipated as the 2023 Super Bowl. The big game, now celebrating its 19th go-around, is the longest running call-to-adoption TV event.
This year’s bowl spotlights 122 puppies and 67 shelters and rescues from 34 states. Last year’s telecast on Animal Planet averaged 1.7 million viewers, according to organizers.
And, for the first time, the pupapalooza will feature a Native American animal organization, the Nagi Foundation from Arizona, and a puppy player from Dominica — proving anything is paw-sible.
“Historically, Team Ruff and Team Fluff are all tied up 3-3,” Puppy Bowl rufferee Dan Schachner recently told The Post. “While the Puppy Bowl has aired for nearly two decades, they only began keeping score six years ago. Last year, Team Fluff won in a last-seconds scoring.”
Schachner continued, “So whoever wins this year will really be able to say — whether it’s Ruff or Fluff — that they are the true Puppy Bowl champion, because they’ll have an edge on the competitor, historically speaking.”
Sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks are also returning to provide commentary on the dog-beat-dog game.
When is the Puppy Bowl?
The paw-ty starts Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, at 2 p.m. Eastern time — just a few hours before Super Bowl LVII kicks off in Glendale, Ariz. A pre-game show will air on Discovery+ and Animal Planet at 1 p.m. Eastern time.
What channel is the Puppy Bowl on?
Viewers can catch the fur-miliar event on Animal Planet, The Discovery Channel, streaming on Discovery+, and TBS. It will also be on HBO Max for the fur-st time.
Where is the Puppy Bowl filmed?
The ruff-housing takes place in Glen Falls, NY, at the Puppy Bowl Stadium inside the Cool Insuring Arena. The team actually makes a smaller stadium for the pups inside the larger arena.
When was the match filmed?
The Puppy Bowl was filmed in October. According to Schachner, the game takes place over the course of a week to ensure the safety of all the animals.
Who’s who in the Puppy Bowl lineup?
This year, 122 puppies compete on two teams: Team Ruff and Team Fluff. There will also be guest appearances by 11 special needs puppy players looking to be adopted, including Marmalade, a hearing and impaired Border Collie/Australian Cattle dog.
And, a very special halftime show will feature kittens — also known as the Kitty Half-Time!
How can I adopt a puppy from the Puppy Bowl?
If you would like to take a player home with you, you can do so through the event’s website. Throughout the broadcast, 11 shelters will also show off one of their puppies available for adoption during the big game.