Hallmark Channel has wrapped up Day One of the Kitten Bowl Combine.
At Hallmark Channel Stadium in New York City, Beth Stern today hosted 92 adorable and adoptable kittens from North Shore Animal League America and Last Hope Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation, with the “cateletes” exhibiting plenty of affability, attitude and agility.
The kittens were strutting their stuff ahead of the draft for the eight teams that will compete in the inaugural season of the Feline Football League and the second annual Kitten Bowl. Ultimately, they’re also playing for take-me-home-field advantage with prospective adopters.
Stern, a spokeswoman for the North Shore Animal League America, will once again be joined by the radio voice of the New York Yankees, John Sterling, who will call the contest, kicking off on "Su-purr Bowl Sunday," Feb. 1.
On Feb. 2, Hallmark Channel’s Kitten Bowl I averaged 1.04 million watchers on live + same-day basis within its noon to 3 p.m. window and 3.2 million unduplicated watchers during that window. The debut and its three encores reached 6.1 million viewers, according to network officials.
Viewers and cat enthusiasts will be able to follow season game highlights and scores on Hallmark Channel’s digital and social platforms. The competing FFL teams: Good Witch Wildcats, Hallmark Channel Hearties, Countdown to Christmas Cheetahs, Cedar Cove Cougars, Northpole Panthers, HMM Mountain Lions, North Shore Bengals and Last Hope Lions.
The kittens will be joined by celebrities and personalities from the entertainment world as they compete on obstacle courses filled with yarn balls, lasers and toys on string. The FFL and “Kitten Bowl II” are part of Hallmark Channel’s corporate initiative “Pet Projectz” that celebrated pets and the joy they bring to our lives.
Kitten Bowl II is executive produced by Eyeworks USA's (Spike’s Bar Rescue, Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell) JD Roth, Todd Nelson, Adam Kaloustian and Brant Pinvidic, with Jesse Drollette serving as co-executive producer.
