5 Reasons The Puppy Bowl Is Better Than The Super Bowl

In case you live under a rock, Super Bowl LII is set to take place on Sunday, Feb. 4. A solid one-third of American households are expected to tune in to the big game, as the New England Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis.

But, the Super Bowl isn't the only programming set for Sunday: there's also the Puppy Bowl. Now in its 13th year, this alternative programming is only increasing in popularity, thanks to its unending cuteness. We'll go so far as to say the Puppy Bowl is the better programming choice for your Sunday viewing, and not just because it's adorable. Here's why:

It's Early
Super Bowl Sunday may essentially be an American holiday, but it doesn't have official status yet. That means that on Monday, your hungover, over-stuffed self is still expected to get up in the morning and get to work. In addition to indulging in food and drink, the Super Bowl runs late, ending somewhere in the 11 p.m. hour. The Puppy Bowl, however has pre-game coverage starting at 10 a.m., and the whole thing is over at 5 p.m., allowing you plenty of recovery time before work the next day.

It Encourages Adoption
While the NFL has had a troubled relationship with charities and equal rights, For 13 years, the Puppy Bowl has teamed up with over 30 pet adoption centers across the country to encourage adopting instead of buying new pets. All the puppies competing at the Puppy Bowl are up for adoption and battle it out on the turf to find their "fur-ever" home. According to the ASPCA, over 7.6 million animals are placed in shelters every year, making adoption incredibly important to support.

Kitty Halftime Show
There's no sports alternative to football during the Super Bowl. But, even if you prefer kitties to puppies, the Puppy Bowl has your back. While the pups take a break from playing "ruff," kitties take over with their laser pointers, feathers, and bubbles. Yes, there's a kitty halftime show and it's just as elaborate as anything Lady Gaga could put on. This year, the Puppy Bowl got two major acts: Kitty Gaga (complete with a meat outfit) and The Chicago Rock Cats to entertain. So, yeah, it's going to be pretty cute.

Puns Galore
If you haven't gathered by now, the Puppy Bowl is a non-stop pun fest. Though some may find puns to be the lowest form of humor, we're all about them. From playing it "ruff" to "turd down" to "paws interference," there are endless dog-related jokes to be made, and the Puppy Bowl's "ruff-eree" makes all of them. As opposed to the forced humor of Super Bowl commercials, these jokes are all natural.

Seriously... So Many Puppies!
If you think betting on the Super Bowl is fun, then you haven't paid much attention to the Puppy Bowl. Ahead of the annual airing of the game, Animal Planet places the entire Puppy Bowl starting lineup online, allowing fans to pick their choice for Puppy Bowl MVP. Whether you like fluffy pups, big dogs, small puppers, or spunky pooches, there's someone there for you.