Last month, ESPN gave you a reason to look forward to Monday. Give up? It's Monday Night Football, which you know—in case you've been living in a cave or, um, you're me—moved from ABC to ESPN two years ago. (Don't blame me; I’m a basketball girl.)
ESPN has released three additional spots to remind you that we're a month into football season. They’re pretty cute in a "bro" kinda way:
(Click to pause. Double-click to play.)
(Click to pause. Double-click to play.)
(Click to pause. Double-click to play.)
ESPN, which recently displayed an Astroturf billboard in the East Village that kept getting stolen, can turn out some clever advertising-age advertising. But, as a media company, all its media is marketing and all its marketing is media. In these TV spots, ESPN succeeded in creating characters and (briefly) telling their stories. We are entertained. However, the real characters and drama of ESPN's Monday Night Football come out on Monday nights. With these clever spots, ESPN may have missed an opportunity to tell a much more dramatic story.
And I'm still not sold on the idea that this is a message that needs to get across: Mondays suck, but MNF is great, so watch it. Fans will be fans. Monday Night Football already has a loyal following and these old-school spots aren't going to attract a new audience. Last week, the Jets/Charger game led basic cable ratings, and the Cowboys/Eagles game in week 2 of the season was the highest-rated basic cable broadcast in history. And I'm betting it ain't because of those three dudes. It's because of the drama and stories on the field.
Maybe y'all are anxiously awaiting Monday, but I'm damn happy the week's over.