For years, cable sports has been dominated by one network: ESPN. The worldwide leader in sports has helped to provide news and game coverage to fans from all generations.
Now the sports media giant is celebrating a milestone that few TV networks can boast as this week marks ESPN’s 40th anniversary. In celebration of their anniversary, ESPN is planning on doing something special for their fans.
One of ESPN’s most beloved commercial spots of the early and mid-2000s were the ‘This Is Sports Center’ ad campaign. The now-discontinued ads featured short clips of professional athletes working alongside SportsCenter Anchors.
In honor of the anniversary, ESPN has 12 brand new ‘This Is SportsCenter’ ads currently airing. One such ad will feature Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff.
Goff’s ad has already been released and in the commercial, he calls an audible during an ESPN board meeting that goes wrong. Goff’s audibles reference other sports players such as NBA prospect Tacko Fall and tennis sensation Coco Gauff.
Other commercials that ESPN released on their YouTube page include one featuring San Diego Padres player Manny Machado babysitting and picking his new cubicle at the ESPN offices.
Although Goff’s place in an ESPN commercial does not solidify him as a star necessarily, it does indicate stardom. ‘This Is SportsCenter’ commercials have typically featured the best of the best, such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Derek Jeter and Kobe Bryant.
While inclusion in a commercial does not carry much weight in the NFL, Goff’s new contract definitely does. He recently signed a four-year, $134 million dollar extension, which includes $110 million in guaranteed salary. That $110 million is the most guaranteed money included in any NFL contract in history.
While Goff’s new commercial airs on Saturday, Goff and the Rams air their new squad on Sunday for the first time in the 2019 NFL season as they will be taking on the Carolina Panthers at 10 a.m. PT.
