10 Funniest “This is SportsCenter” Commercials of All Time

10 Funniest "This is SportsCenter" Commercials of All Time

There is not a sports fan out there that does not enjoy a funny commercial. That is most likely what motivated ESPN to come up with hilarious television spots to promote SportsCenter, the media empire’s most popular program.

“This is SportsCenter” is written and produced by the employees at the New York office of Wieden + Kennedy, an advertising agency based out of Portland, Oreg. The first commercial of its kind was allegedly created in 1994. However, former SportsCenter anchor Bob Ley has gone on record to say the very first advertisement debuted in 1995.

Ley tweeted the following on June 12, 2011: “Little know fact: Jason Kidd featured in very 1st "This is SportsCenter" spot in 1995.”

Wieden + Kennedy New York came up with the unique idea to showcase athletes and mascots as ordinary people working an average Joe job at ESPN’s headquarters. Obviously, this is far different from how other companies depicted athletes in the mid-1990s. However, being ahead of their time is why “This is SportsCenter” TV spots will stand the test of time.

“Not everything can be a big set piece where something crazy happens. It has to be smaller and more believable,” W+K creative director Brandon Henderson told AdWeek.com. "It's the exact opposite of any Nike or Reebok commercial with these athletes, where they're always at the peak of their performance and they're doing things that are unbelievable. In these commercials they're making coffee or trying to unjam a printer."

They are hilarious, intelligent and very creative. Not to mention, like what HBO’s Entourage did for celebrities, every athlete wants to be featured in a SportsCenter commercial.

Make sure to click through the slideshow to see the top 10 funniest “This is SportsCenter” commercials of all time.

10. David Ortiz & Jorge Posada

It is the commercial that made Boston Red Sox fans cringe and New York Yankees’ fans rejoice. Slugger David Ortiz puts on Jorge Posada’s rarely used Yankee ball cap in an attempt to break it in. Unfortunately, Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster is traumatized in the process.

9. Adrian Peterson’s Viking Assistant

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has become a busy guy after dominating defenses on Sundays. Therefore, he was required to get an assistant to help stay organized. Thankfully, Vikings mascot Ragnar had nothing better to do in between game days.

8. Manny Being Manny

Anchors Jay Harris and Steve Levy take the saying “Manny being Manny” to the next level. The two are amused by every single one of Manny Ramirez’s actions. They even lose their composure and burst into laughter when Manny answers a phone speaking Spanish as they cannot believe the length Ramirez will go to in order to be his own person.

7. Alex Ovechkin the Spy

The reason I think this particular SportsCenter commercial is hilarious is because of Alex Ovechkin’s facial expressions. I especially like the part where he laughs awkwardly so Levy will continue on his way. Having goaltender Semyon Varlamov pull Ovechkin up with a rope is priceless. I wonder what was so important in that file that would make two Russian spies go undercover as professional hockey players.

6. Scott Van Pelt’s Performance Enhancers

Scott Van Pelt is my favorite ESPN anchor who acts in the advertisements. All of the anchors bring a lot to their characters, but Van Pelt is always spot on in his deliveries. This is one of his best “This is SportsCenter” commercials in which he is caught using a thesaurus (performance enhancer) to give his segment the edge it needs.

5. The Manning Brothers

The Manning family takes a vacation to none other than ESPN’s headquarters to see how SportsCenter is produced. It comes off as one of the more real “This is SportsCenter” advertisements because it is what I think of when I imagine Peyton Manning and Eli Manning on a family vacation together growing up. The stern look Archie Manning gives the brothers is awesome.

4. Unhealthy Diet

I thought this commercial was insanely funny the first time I saw it. Watching one of the Milwaukee Brewers famous Racing Sausages, specifically Hot Dog, shake off Stuart Scott twice only to eat one of his own kinds is hilarious.

3. Rickie Fowler

One of the newer “This is SportsCenter” commercials explains why golfer Rickie Fowler is always dressed in bright colors. Who knew the reason for his bold fashion statement was due to color blindness? The face he makes after realizing the “milk’s gone bad” is priceless.

2. Drew Brees

This is my personal favorite “This is SportsCenter” television spot. Drew Brees trying to drive a Mardi Gras parade float through the entrance gate at rush hour only to realize the gate is too “narrow” is funny in itself. However, it is the acting by Brees, as he attempts to explain his situation to the minor traffic jam, and Stan Verrett that makes it a classic. Make sure to catch Chris McKendry glance over to Verrett as he lays on the car horn.

1. John Clayton

The best “This is SportsCenter” commercial shows ESPN NFL Senior Writer John Clayton delivering one of his segments, which is something fans of the show can see frequently during the NFL season. However, what fans do not realize is that Clayton actually films his segments from his bedroom in his mother’s house. He also is a fan of Slayer and letting his long hair rock out when he is off air. The advertisement is incredibly creative and by far the funniest of all time.