The BBC Will Air Super Bowl 50 In The UK Without Any Ads

Instead, commentators will explain what football is to confused viewers.
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What's your favorite part of the Super Bowl: the ads, or the game?

If you're in the U.K., hopefully you chose the latter, because the BBC, which has exclusive rights to air Super Bowl 50 in the country, will air the big game without any advertisements whatsoever.

In their place, BBC experts will take time to explain to viewers just what, exactly, they're watching. Commentary via "5 Live" will address the game's rules and strategies, with the ultimate goal of converting casual (if somewhat confused) U.K. spectators into loyal NFL fans.

So instead of adorable puppies, viewers will get answers to questions like: "What is a 'down'?" and "Why are they kicking it?" and (hypothetically) "Why is it so hard to figure out what counts as a catch?"

"Advertising has never been part of the Super Bowl experience in the rest of the world," Sarah Swanson, the NFL's head of marketing in U.K., explained to AdAge, "but this year in particular we are doing quite a bit to activate around the game and to celebrate with our partners."

Of course, if you're in the U.K. and planning to watch Super Bowl Sunday live, plan on it being more of a Super Bowl Monday affair. Coverage of the event will begin on BBC Two at 10:50 p.m., Sunday and won't end until 3:30 a.m, Monday.

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