Menu
Marketing and Sponsorship

New ESPN PSA Focuses On Adult Pressure In Youth Sports

A new PSA from ESPN and Arnold Worldwide, Boston, addresses the "issues of excessive injuries from overtraining, burnout, discouragement and demoralization [in youth sports] head-on, and features a young athlete announcing his 'retirement' from sports of any kind," according to Doug Zanger of ADWEEK. Kids today "face increasing pressure to perform on the field at a younger age," and the ad "points a finger squarely at the parents and other adults who levy so much pressure and intensity on children’s shoulders." The 60-second spot also has 30- and 15-second versions. The campaign, with "donated media from ESPN, drives people to the #DontRetireKid social media campaign and Project Play’s website," where athletes like Kobe Bryant, Wayne Gretzky, WNBA Seattle Storm G Sue Bird, tennis player Sloane Stephens, ESPN's Julie Foudy and others "share their thoughts on the importance of youth sports in bespoke vignettes to extend the concept" (ADWEEK.com, 8/5). USA TODAY's Logan Newman noted the ad "aims to push boys and girls to continue competing, not just for on-court reasons, but how it can help other aspects of life." The Aspen Institute, the main client for the campaign, said that from '08-18, the amount of kids aged six to 12 who "played sports decreased from 45% to 38%" (USA TODAY, 8/5). CABLEFAX DAILY notes ESPN will "incorporate campaign messaging and discuss the importance of youth sports during live MLB, Little League World Series and X Games telecasts" (CABLEFAX DAILY, 8/6).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/08/06/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/ESPN-PSA.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/08/06/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/ESPN-PSA.aspx

CLOSE