ESPN has unveiled their TV commercial for the England versus USA game which will be televised live on ABC to an audience of millions in the United States.
Not surprisingly, the video features sounds and images that are very patriotic. While it’s not as good as some of the earlier ads that ESPN has created to drum up interest in the World Cup, it definitely gives me goosebumps and prepares me for the biggest soccer match of the decade.
What do you think of the commercial? Share your feedback in the comments section below.
Where’s the Landon Donovan ESPN commercials with the printer?
Found it over at MLS talk
Yep, the Donovan one is at http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/landon-donovan-espn-sportscenter-commercial-video/9176
It’s very good.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
That’s hilarious. Never seen it before.
Yeah, that’s pretty funny. I have to say, most of those commercials — meaning the ESPN ads featuring well-known athletes — are done pretty well. There’s one with Altidore swapping shirts with a guy in a tie after a meeting that’s pretty good, too.
It could have been better. The “I scored in a WC Final” clips are much better.
Well I thought it was very nice. Now we need to see the commercials after the match
You get goosebumps too easily, Gaffer. I didn’t feel it.
An aside on the vaunted ESPN hype machine. Turned on ESPN News later in the day after the Turkey match, since I had missed it. It took 20 minutes from the top of the show and a mention of every other sport on the planet, including college baseball for crying out loud, for them to get to it.
ESPN still doesn’t get it.
Oh, I think ESPN gets it. Those of us who are “football” fans in the states (as opposed to “throwball”
I agree with you 100%. I did, however, think that with them broadcasting the WC in less than two weeks they might at least get the highlights in ahead of college baseball. You know…..just a *little* hype, maybe? ESPN just strikes me as ambivalent when it comes to soccer and I think this was simply another example of it. I don’t ever expect that to change, for reasons you’ve noted.
At least with FSC soccer is THE sport.
I thought, with ESPN picking up Setanta’s EPL lineup and their WC coverage this summer, that they were going to be a little more soccer-centric. I’m not at all confident about that at this point.
I think if the World Cup draws a lot of attention – especially if the USMNT does well – things might change. For the time being, though, you can spend your weekends watching Women’s College Softball and Men’s College LaCrosse. Whatever…
Ovalball, I got goosebumps just by reading your comment! JK. But, while the ad is nowhere near the best that ESPN has produced recently for the World Cup, it certainly gets the point across. This match means war.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
lol on the opener.
I would rather lose the battle (against England) and win the *real* war (advancing to the next round).
Not to say I won’t be yelling my head off during the England match. My canine companion knows how to high-five…..and she likes beer.
yeah i turned on sportscenter when I got back from the bar that night to see the hi-lights and had to wait forever to see them. It’s strange because on one hand ESPN wants America to love the sport as much as I do but on the other they want to be the football player who would call me derogatory names in H.S. because I wore a Newcastle shirt to school and played soccer
I thought the ad was kind of cheesy, which is fine by me, I love those type of ads. The mere fact that they are going out of their way to give special promotion for the game is huge in of itself. I expected generic World Cup ads, I didn’t expect a specific one.
COME ON ENGLAND!
Oh wait, I forgot, you’re American. Stop.
You support England and Manchester United and you’re from the United States. How pathetic.
Dooood my wife is English… I like New Order, Oasis as much as the next guy but there is no way in hell I will support England on June 12th. Maybe any other day… but not June 12th… and my wife wouldn’t have it any other way…
COME ON YOU YANKS!!!!!
They played that during teh warm up of USA v Turkey… Sam’s Army went crazy…
I can’t think of two nations that are more delusional about their place in the footballing heirarchy.
Should be a dull game full of disorganized midfield play and shoddy attempts to get the ball to each team’s sole impact player (Altidore and Rooney, respectively).
If both squads advance, the US will be summarily dispatched by Ze Germans and England will likely go down to France in the quarters if the French show up and play their 4-3-3 with zest.
Jesse, I still cannot believe you have the gall to write “Come On England” on this site. It is getting to near-traitorous levels at this point.
From Dictionary.com:
trea·son
–noun
1.
the offense of acting to overthrow one’s government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
2.
a violation of allegiance to one’s sovereign or to one’s state.
3.
the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.
Take a gander at number 2 and tell me it isn’t treasonous.
Yes, but alot of people seem to forget that this is football we’re talking about here. As much as we get insane and loose our minds over it (see some of the comments above) this isn’t a life or death matter.
this isn’t war
this isn’t politics
this isn’t economics or religion or health care
this isn’t THAT serious is it?
this is football!
over payed and over worshiped flawed men who get paid way too much money to chase a little white ball around a slab of grass. are we making too big a deal about who i support?
Also, may i open your eyes to what it means to live in America? Choice, freedom and the like to do and say what I want. I’d also bet that over half of soccer mad fans in this country support another country over the US, but not at the detriment of the US.
I love the USMNT, and i wish them well and hope they get out of the group and go far. I just choose and “get” England more. I’m passionate about England, I can’t help that.
There are many a Brazil, Mexico, Ireland, England,..etc,etc. the list goes on- suporters in this country. you must realize mine isn’t a unique story.
for the record, I supported the states in the Revolutionary war. there!
all smiles,
jesse
Attaboy.
Come on England!!!
Biggest soccer match of the decade??! Woefully wide of the mark. Bigger than inter v bayern? Bigger than Italy v France 2006? Bigger than us v Mexico 2002 in a knockout game??
It’s not even the biggest match of the first round. Arguably ivory coast v Portugal will garner more interest globally as both the us and England have a good chance to qualify.
People in England will want to win this but this is no England v Germany or England v argentina. I understand Americans will treat this in very high regard but I knew several who treated Italy and ghana subsequently with higher regard.
Leave the hyperbole to espn and the like, otherwise when the us faces Germany in the second round (maybe), what over the top phrases would you have left?
Hi Simon, I meant biggest match of the decade — i.e. from 2010 onwards (which has only been six months, I realize), but I still feel it’s much bigger than Inter v Bayern.
I disagree with you about Ivory Coast v Portugal. I’m really interested in that match, but most of the English speaking world will be more interested in USA v England.
No worries. I have a few over the top phrases in store!
Just kidding.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Fair enough Gaffer – I will let you have your six months
I am just glad we dont have the Ivorians or Portugal in our group because then the Eng v US game would be much more nerve wracking.
I didn’t realise England v. Germany was a big rivalry … and I don’t think the Germans do either.
The Germans know about the rivalry, ask them about the 2 world wars, the 1966 world cup final and the 5-1 kicking we gave them in their own back yard.
COME ON ENGLAND, FOR QUEEN, FOR COUNTRY, FOR ME, LET’S GIVE THESE YANKS ONE HELL OF A BEATING
“We”? Were you in those teams?
44 years seems a hell of a long way to go for a meaningful victory. Since then Ze Germans have been 3rd twice, 2nd three times, and champions twice. Hard to worry about England when you’re busy beating everyone else. Especially hard to worry about England when they don’t even necessarily qualify for the WC every time.
If you really want to bring WWI and WWII into the mix you should stop talking tough to the US about a football match ten days hence, and get down on your knees and kiss their boots for bailing you lot out financially and militarily in both of those conflicts.
‘If you really want to bring WWI and WWII into the mix you should stop talking tough to the US about a football match ten days hence, and get down on your knees and kiss their boots for bailing you lot out financially and militarily in both of those conflicts.’
You Americans make me laugh, whenare you going to get it through your thick heads that you did not bail england out?
The war started 3 yrs before america got involved and they only got involved then because the jap’s sunk half their navy. Otherwise they would have say by like the bunch of pussies they are. England who was in the war from the start held of germany by being too powerful for them in the air. THE RAF SAVED BRITAIN IN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN. I have put that in caps so you thick as f**K americans can get the message.
When America decided to grow some balls and get involved they were able to land in England because England and the RAF had held them off.
So my question to you is how can you claim to have won a war and saved a country when you weren’t even in the war for the first three years of it and the country you claim to have saved had already done the job of stopping the invasion of Britain?
Learn your f**king history you thick F**kers.
LETS GO USA!!!!!!!
Can’t see! How can a bloody ad get geoblocked? Put it up on fb please, somebody.
I can’t watch it either, the viewing depends on where you live I think and espn seem to have a problem with me in little old england watching their adverts.
And me in Canada…to the Commonwealth!
Can someone post the direct youtube link, the embedded player isn’t showing up? Thanks.
Matt, it’s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yc8LIjoGDQ
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Thanks a ton Gaffer!
I am already dumping tea in Boston Harbor.
This is poor faire when compared to other WC ads…..my top three….
1. Sony Bravia. I mean, those of us born outside USA remember these kind of five hour kick-abouts with our mates. A perfect evocation of childhood and the game we love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OaZIdvYbhU&feature=related
2. Nike. We’ve all seen it. Gotta love Wayne for his sense of humor about himself. And for Ronaldo coming across as a complete tosser.
3. Puma. Gnarls Barkley + African Footie = Win
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAX1UCpLBoA&feature=player_embedded
Oh, and as a newly minted American citizen I have the jersey and will be down the Britannia Arms in San Jose shouting them one. I will be accused of being a whinging Scot by my English buddies (I am) but at least I now have a legitimate excuse!!!!!