The “This is SportsCenter” campaign is every bit as iconic a part of ESPN’s history as its flagship show and its theme song. The first commercial in the campaign debuted in 1994. The ads ran regularly until 2019.
Typically, the ads starred a mix of ESPN personalities, star athletes and team mascots. Some SportsCenter anchors became fan favorites in the commercials.
A new generation of “This is SportsCenter” ads are set to make their debut. Audiences will see the first one on Friday night during ESPN’s coverage of the Orange Bowl.
ESPN is debuting the right ad for the occasion too. The first new “This is SportsCenter” ad will feature US Women’s National Team members Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Sophia Smith and SportsCenter anchor Nicole Briscoe enjoying orange slices as Syracuse mascot Otto the Orange looks on in horror.
“This is SportsCenter is iconic, and a campaign that everyone knows and loves. It is at the core of who we are at ESPN, and we’re thrilled it’s returning at a key time in the sports calendar,” Laura Gentile, Disney’s and ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Commercial Marketing, said in a press release. “This is SportsCenter featured timeless creative dating back to the mid-1990s, and it’s our job to uphold this standard and build upon it in new ways.”
More new ads in the campaign are set to debut throughout 2023.
