ESPN kicks off push to promote DTC service during NBA Finals

You won’t see the New York Knicks or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Finals this year, but you will see ESPN’s new DTC streaming service.

During Game 1 on Thursday night, the Disney-owned company is airing its first ad teasing the new product, which will be called, simply, ESPN. The spot, titled “Sports Forever,” is meant to spotlight the storied history of ESPN as a cable brand while raising awareness of the new service, particularly among younger viewers, SVP of Marketing Jo Fox said.

“When you think about media sports brands, there’s very few that can say that they have been with fans for over four decades,” Fox told Marketing Brew. “We’re in an increasingly competitive environment, and we thought, ‘Let’s look back, as we looked at our brand and our heritage.’”

Superfan: The ad opens on a scene of two people watching TV in a living room with overlay text that reads “Fall 1979, the first ESPN broadcast.” While some of the shots that follow include sports stars like Jalen Hurts, Rory McIlroy, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the spot is largely focused on fans, a decision that hinged on the insight that “sports fans are sports fans for life,” said Sinan Dagli, ECD of ESPN’s agency partner Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners.

“The most important thing for us was telling the story of sports fandom through ESPN, because it’s not just watching,” Dagli said. “It’s fantasy football, it’s notifications, and [it’s] being part of that full fandom, and not just being a passive spectator.”

Anchor man: ESPN personalities including Stephen A. Smith, Pat McAfee, Lee Leonard, and Dick Vitale are also featured in the ad as part of the effort to connect with fans across sports, Fox said. Highlighting figures like the hosts of College Game Day emphasizes ESPN’s value proposition during real-life moments in addition to onscreen ones, she said, since the hosts and analysts often interact with fans. One shot in the ad shows Vitale crowdsurfing.

In addition to legendary analysts, star athletes including Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Caitlin Clark, and Paige Bueckers appear in the ad to help highlight ESPN’s ongoing commitment to women’s sports, according to Fox.

More modern sports moments mix with Easter eggs and callbacks from over the decades, including a nod to the SportsCenter theme music, as well as the appearance of a Hartford Whalers flag, the NHL franchise that became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997 after relocating from Connecticut, where ESPN is headquartered.

Those references are aimed at cementing the long-term affinity ESPN has built among sports fans as it promotes its newest product offering, Fox said.

SportsTok: A 60-second cut of the ad will run during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, followed by additional placements across ESPN-owned and other digital platforms, as well as out-of-home, Fox said. The ad is part of the initial phase of a broader campaign meant to raise awareness of the new offering, especially with younger fans who might only engage with the brand on social platforms like TikTok, she said.

“We wanted to talk to the heart first to remind people why they love sports [and] why ESPN has connected them to sports,” Fox said. The second phase of the campaign, though, will be more focused on showcasing features of the app like fantasy sports and betting capabilities.

Naming wrongs: ESPN has caught some heat over its decision to name the service ESPN, including from late-night host Jimmy Kimmel during his annual roast at the Disney upfront, Fox said the choice was about preserving and capitalizing on the legacy that comes with the brand’s four letters. (For what it’s worth, ESPN wasn’t the only network to be the butt of a joke about branding decisions at this year’s upfronts.)

“I think over time, as we’ve looked at the streaming universe in particular, people have made different decisions and probably perhaps regretted them,” Fox said. “Why would we throw away the love and respect and authority and legacy in our name?”