The Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 are "set to kick off football season with an unprecedented public service announcement blitz, a campaign involving more than 50 PSAs focused on player safety," according to Christopher Heine of ADWEEK. The 30-second spots "promote establishing safe tackling and blocking techniques in youth-league athletes to protect players from head injuries and other bodily harm throughout their football days." The conferences and the NFL "have teamed up with nonprofit USA Football’s 'Heads Up' initiative on the project." Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said, "This is a national health issue. We are trying to take the right, prudent steps to make the game safer." ESPN, Fox and nets carrying Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big 12 games have "slotted inventory for the PSAs." Every coach across the three conferences "will appear in the commercials, which will run through the Thanksgiving holiday." The Big 12 has "produced a separate, special effects-heavy PSA focused on football-related health and directing viewers to a dedicated website." Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 reps "dismissed the notion that the PSAs are, in part, designed to convince fans to accept" new, stricter tackling rules in college football (ADWEEK.com, 8/18).
