ESPN's Sports Heaven
Encyclopedia
Sports Heaven is a lavish commercial produced by ESPN
to hype the release of its short-lived sports-oriented cell phone service, Mobile ESPN
. Launched during Super Bowl XL
on February 5, 2006, the 60-second ad was one of the most discussed (and replayed) after the game. It featured an ESPN fan walking through a star-packed city of sports icons. AdWeek
estimated the cost of producing the ad at $30 million, and this was before the $2.5 million necessary to run it during the Super Bowl.
There are dozens of athletes in the spot, some generic (marathon runners, fencers, a ring girl, and so on), and some very specific. A possibly incomplete list includes, in rough chronological order, with their teams at the time of the commercial:
In addition, every vehicle in Sports Heaven is a sports vehicle, whether a dragster
, a monster truck
, an entire IndyCar
race, or a fleet of motocross
bikes flying out of a garage. A Zamboni
and the University of Oklahoma
’s "Sooner Schooner" get into a fender bender in the street. The Goodyear blimp
flies overhead.
The crosswalk is a football “1st and 10” line, and the building number is “755” (Hank Aaron’s legendary number of home runs). The bus that strongman Jon Andersen
is pulling has the number 36 on it (36 is Pittsburgh Steeler
Jerome "The Bus" Bettis
's number). The movie playing on the theater marquee is Miracle
. A poster is also seen for the film at the bus stop.
The Sports Heaven commercial was filmed while Juan Pierre
still played for the Florida Marlins
. After he was traded to the Chicago Cubs
, his uniform was edited into a Cubs uniform.
The music in the ad is Chad and Jeremy
's "A Summer Song
".
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
to hype the release of its short-lived sports-oriented cell phone service, Mobile ESPN
Mobile ESPN
ESPN MVP is a cellular phone-based sports information service offered by ESPN and Verizon Wireless. It has been carried on the Verizon Wireless Network after it was relaunched in May 2007 as the ESPN MVP. Previously known as Mobile ESPN, it was an Mobile Virtual Network Operator run by Disney using...
. Launched during Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
on February 5, 2006, the 60-second ad was one of the most discussed (and replayed) after the game. It featured an ESPN fan walking through a star-packed city of sports icons. AdWeek
Adweek
Adweek is a weekly American advertising trade publication that was first published in 1978....
estimated the cost of producing the ad at $30 million, and this was before the $2.5 million necessary to run it during the Super Bowl.
There are dozens of athletes in the spot, some generic (marathon runners, fencers, a ring girl, and so on), and some very specific. A possibly incomplete list includes, in rough chronological order, with their teams at the time of the commercial:
- The University of MiamiUniversity of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
football team (coming out of the subway) - Bowler Chris Barnes (rolling a strike down the alley)
- Gymnast Carly PattersonCarly PattersonCarly Rae Patterson is an American singer and former gymnast. She is the 2004 Olympic All-Around Champion and a member of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame...
(doing a floor exercise on the sidewalk) - Track and field star Walter DavisWalter Davis (athletics)Walter L. Davis is an African American athlete competing in the triple jump and occasionally in the long jump. He was born in Lafayette, LouisianaDavis won the 2005 World Outdoor & 2006 World Indoor Championships....
(bounding in a triple jump) - Skateboarder Eric KostonEric KostonEric Koston is a Thai American professional skater who grew up in San Bernardino, California.He began skating in 1986 and remains active. He was first sponsored in 1991 and turned pro in 1993. He has been featured in the "Tony Hawk" video game series and "EA" Skate 2 and Skate 3...
(doing stunts on his skateboard) - St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
outfielder Jim EdmondsJim EdmondsJames Patrick "Jim" Edmonds is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the California/Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds...
(tossing a ball) - San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
tight end Antonio GatesAntonio GatesAntonio Gates is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after playing college basketball at Kent State University...
(sitting at a bus stop) - Tennis player Robby GinepriRobby GinepriRobert Louis Ginepri is an American professional tennis player.-Early life:Robby Ginepri is of Luxembourgish ancestry....
(bouncing a ball on his racket) - The University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
soccer team (forming a “wall,” as if to block a free kick, at the bus stop) - World's Strongest ManWorld's Strongest ManThe World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
competitor Jon AndersenJon AndersenJon Andersen Reel, normally referred to simply as Jon Andersen is an American bodybuilder, strongman competitor and professional wrestler. Anderson currently splits his time between working for Pro Wrestling Revolution in California and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico...
(dragging a city bus) - Indy Racing League driver Dan WheldonDan WheldonDaniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
(drinking from a milk jug by a hot dog stand, while wearing the Indianapolis 500Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
winner's wreathWreathA wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...
, referencing his victory in the race the year before2005 Indianapolis 500The 89th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 2005. It was the premier event of the 2005 IndyCar Series season, and the tenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Dan Wheldon won the race under a yellow flag...
) - Golden State WarriorsGolden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
guard Baron DavisBaron DavisBaron Walter Louis Davis is an American professional basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Drafted as the third pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis was a star at Crossroads School and UCLA....
(dribbling a basketball on the sidewalk) - Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
batter Juan PierreJuan PierreJuan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
(“stealing” across a crosswalk) - Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
pitcher Huston StreetHuston StreetHuston Lowell Street is an American baseball relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. His father is former University of Texas quarterback James Street, and his brother Juston Street is currently a pitcher for the minor league Vancouver Canadians....
(walking across the street, in an apparent pun) - Middleweight boxer Jeff “Left Hook” LacyJeff LacyJeffrey Scott Lacy is an American boxer. He is a former International Boxing Federation super middleweight champion.-Amateur career:...
(leading his entourage through a crosswalk) - Golfer Mike WeirMike WeirMichael Richard Weir, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 2001 and 2005. He is best known for winning the Masters in 2003....
(teeing off in a crosswalk) - Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
pitcher David WellsDavid WellsDavid Lee Wells , nicknamed "Boomer", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was considered to be one of the game's better left-handed pitchers, especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched the fifteenth perfect game in baseball history...
(pulling up to the intersection on a motorcycle) - New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
guard Stephon MarburyStephon MarburyStephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
(also dribbling a basketball) - Sprinter Justin GatlinJustin GatlinJustin Gatlin is an American sprinter. He is an Olympic gold medalist, with a 100 m personal best of 9.85 seconds. He served a four-year ban from track and field for testing positive for a banned substance; Gatlin had appealed the ban in 2009, but it was later denied.- Biography :Gatlin attended...
(in the blocks to start a race) - WNBAWomen's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
all-stars Lisa LeslieLisa LeslieLisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
, Diana TaurasiDiana TaurasiDiana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...
, and Sue BirdSue BirdSuzanne Brigit "Sue" Bird is an American professional women's basketball player for the Seattle Storm and WBC Spartak Moscow Region....
(running a passing drill in the park) - Fisherman Skeet ReeseSkeet ReeseSkeet Reese is a professional sport fisherman of the B.A.S.S. . He was born in Auburn, California on June 30, 1969. He has a wife, Kim, and a two daughters, Leamarie and Courtney....
(catching bass in the lake in the park) - Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
outfielder Torii HunterTorii HunterTorii Kedar Hunter is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Hunter has taken away many home runs throughout his 13-year major league career by "climbing the fence" in the outfield. He has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder.Hunter resides...
(throwing a baseball at the camera) - National Spelling Bee champ Anurag Kashyap (reading a dictionary on a park bench)
- The UCLA Marching Band (marching by the Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
statue in the park)
In addition, every vehicle in Sports Heaven is a sports vehicle, whether a dragster
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
, a monster truck
Monster truck
A monster truck is a pickup truck, typically styled after pickup trucks' bodies, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension...
, an entire IndyCar
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
race, or a fleet of motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
bikes flying out of a garage. A Zamboni
Ice resurfacer
An ice resurfacer is a truck-like vehicle or smaller device used to clean and smooth the surface of an ice rink. The first ice resurfacer was developed by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949 in the city of Paramount, California...
and the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
’s "Sooner Schooner" get into a fender bender in the street. The Goodyear blimp
Goodyear Blimp
The Goodyear Blimp is the collective name for a fleet of blimps operated by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for advertising purposes and for use as a television camera platform for aerial views of sporting events...
flies overhead.
The crosswalk is a football “1st and 10” line, and the building number is “755” (Hank Aaron’s legendary number of home runs). The bus that strongman Jon Andersen
Jon Andersen
Jon Andersen Reel, normally referred to simply as Jon Andersen is an American bodybuilder, strongman competitor and professional wrestler. Anderson currently splits his time between working for Pro Wrestling Revolution in California and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico...
is pulling has the number 36 on it (36 is Pittsburgh Steeler
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
Jerome "The Bus" Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
's number). The movie playing on the theater marquee is Miracle
Miracle (film)
Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
. A poster is also seen for the film at the bus stop.
The Sports Heaven commercial was filmed while Juan Pierre
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
still played for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. After he was traded to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, his uniform was edited into a Cubs uniform.
The music in the ad is Chad and Jeremy
Chad and Jeremy
Chad & Jeremy are an English singing folk rock duo originating in the 1960s, comprising eyeglasses-wearing Chad Stuart , and Jeremy Clyde...
's "A Summer Song
A Summer Song
"A Summer Song" is the title of a 1964 Top Ten hit by Chad & Jeremy; the song was written by group member Chad Stuart with Clive Metcalfe and Keith Noble....
".