ESPN hates soccer again

[PsychedelicCeltic]

Let's recount how much ESPN hates soccer. A 30 second plus ad about how great the World Cup is narrated by Bono (a ball stops a war, the beautiful game, etc) with Gene Hackman announcing "The World Cup on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC."

Yeah, they're really burying this one.

[szazzy]

One of the main sideline advertisements in the Spurs-Mavericks first playoff game today on ABC was for the May 16th Champions League Final on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. It's not just the World Cup that's getting buried.

[PsychedelicCeltic]

You know how bad ESPN hates soccer? They're running this ad practically every commercial break. AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN USING SUBLIMINAL ADVERTISING!!

I wish the World Cup was on Gol TV!!

[scaryice]

It's a great ad.

HOWEVER, you cannot heal the wounds from years of derision from Sportscenter anchors overnight.

[babytiger2001]

It's a great ad.
Just curious... is there a link to this ad? We don't get it overseas.

In all seriousness, I would love to see and hear this ad.

[hipityhop]

Will this hate ever end? Can't we all just get along?

[geordienation]

Just curious... is there a link to this ad? We don't get it overseas.

In all seriousness, I would love to see and hear this ad.


They're all here. (http://soccernet.com/onegame/)

[MikeLastort2]

They're all here. (http://soccernet.com/onegame/)

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to geordienation again."

Somebody cover for me please. Those ads are fantastic.

[babytiger2001]

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to geordienation again."

Somebody cover for me please. Those ads are fantastic.
Since I was the one who made the request, he gets the rep points from me, and richly deserved.

That is one amazing spot.

[Bill Archer]

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to geordienation again."

Somebody cover for me please. Those ads are fantastic.

I hit him up as well, Mike. Well earned.

[TheWakeUpBomb]

It's a great ad.

HOWEVER, you cannot heal the wounds from years of derision from Sportscenter anchors overnight.Sure you can. Stop watching Sportscenter to get validation from people you don't know. Or just stop watching Sportscenter.

[Anteaters FC]

It's in HD, no less.

It is a very good ad, but it's too heavy on "everyone else pays attention to this" (no shots of American fans, but plenty of Scottish (???) and English fans) and doesn't really say anything about who's playing.

I'm not knocking it, it's a great ad to get the interest raised a month ahead of the start, but I'm hoping for a player- or team-focused ad.

[MikeLastort2]

It's in HD, no less.

It is a very good ad, but it's too heavy on "everyone else pays attention to this" (no shots of American fans, but plenty of Scottish (???) and English fans) and doesn't really say anything about who's playing.

I'm not knocking it, it's a great ad to get the interest raised a month ahead of the start, but I'm hoping for a player- or team-focused ad.
Then you need to look for the new "it's a whole new ballgame" Gatorade commercial.

See this thread

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=343482

Edit - found it on a soccer blog (http://mysoccerblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/whole-new-ballgame.html) that links to You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDgEosqZGCM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmysoccerblog%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F2006%2F04%2Fwhole%2Dnew%2Dballgame%2Ehtml)

[The Blind Pig]

It's a great ad.

HOWEVER, you cannot heal the wounds from years of derision from Sportscenter anchors overnight.


what wounds?


it's called comedy


it's a fricking entertainment show... it ain't news

[Anteaters FC]

Then you need to look for the new "it's a whole new ballgame" Gatorade commercial.

See this thread

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=343482

Edit - found it on a soccer blog (http://mysoccerblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/whole-new-ballgame.html) that links to You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDgEosqZGCM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmysoccerblog%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F2006%2F04%2Fwhole%2Dnew%2Dballgame%2Ehtml)

I've seen it.

But I'm thinking of other players as well. A friend that knows a little bit about soccer, usually only sort of pays attention during the World Cup, started asking me questions about teams, and I had a hard time explaining just how good Ronaldinho is. He's seen the Joga commercials, but something that shows Ronaldinho, Henry, etc. in an ESPN commercial like the Bono one would be phenomenal.

[babytiger2001]

I've seen it.

But I'm thinking of other players as well. A friend that knows a little bit about soccer, usually only sort of pays attention during the World Cup, started asking me questions about teams, and I had a hard time explaining just how good Ronaldinho is. He's seen the Joga commercials, but something that shows Ronaldinho, Henry, etc. in an ESPN commercial like the Bono one would be phenomenal.
The one problem with that is that it may be admirable to focus promotion around stars, the World Cup is an example of "event television", and ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 are promoting it as such.

There is an event mentality behind the whole tournament, that every game does count for something, and that's what they're trying to target to the largest audience possible.

[PsychedelicCeltic]

It's in HD, no less.

It is a very good ad, but it's too heavy on "everyone else pays attention to this" (no shots of American fans, but plenty of Scottish (???) and English fans) and doesn't really say anything about who's playing.

I'm not knocking it, it's a great ad to get the interest raised a month ahead of the start, but I'm hoping for a player- or team-focused ad.
I thought about this last night, but upon reflection, there's a blamed good idea why they're doing that.

Unless you're the type that thinks Landycakes > Ronaldinho, the USA could very well play in three - three! - of the 64 matches of the World Cup. It would be a disaster for ESPN and ABC (and in all likelihood, US soccer) if they hyped up the USA team beyond all belief and then they crashed out in the first round.

I fully expect focused advertisements for each US game as the tournament rolls around.

[PsychedelicCeltic]

It's a great ad.

HOWEVER, you cannot heal the wounds from years of derision from Sportscenter anchors overnight.
Funny, I just saw a Sportscenter World Cup Moment.

[scaryice]

Funny, I just saw a Sportscenter World Cup Moment.

And that does not have anything to do with what I said.

[The Blind Pig]

of course not... because words will always hurt us


but sticks and stones never will