ESPN Promos 1986

[yeahmedude]

I love the reminder to not steal cable :)

[chalklounge]

Three whole minutes and not one paid product placement or pop culture reference!

The good ol' days.

[33skoalbandit]

@indyfan22k Even though they showed your arch nemesis NASCAR?

[gracey221]

wow, that brings back memories! I distinctly remember that disclaimer at the 1:20 mark. ESPN used to be great!!!

[cimino101]

As weird as this sounds, the quick little sound at 1:54 reminds me of watching this with my father as a youth in the eighties. Awesome stuff!

[lilnwty1]

haha i remember the espn sports guide too DONT BE A PIRATE!!LOL

[obsgia]

What was that sound at 1:55?

[QixAck]

That was a signal to let cable companies know when they could insert local commercials. The signal was picked up by whatever tape machines to start playing when that sequence was heard. Usually it was played a few seconds before the spot was to begin as it took a few seconds for the machines to start actually playing the video.

[gmancine]

I believe ESPN started using italic fonts only in 1990. Are you sure this tape is from 1986? By the way, this stuff is great! A true piece of TV history. Thanks for posting!

[swami1]

@gmancine Yes it was from 1986. The NHL promo refers to the Sunday, 4/6 game between Washington and Philadelphia. Also the music underneath is a muzak version of Pete Townshend's "Face the Face", which was released a few months earlier.

[gmancine]

@swami1 Thanks for the clarification. Do you know what group / band recorded the musak versions of pop / rock music such as Face The Face for ESPN in the 80's? I posted several 1989 ads from ESPN USA as well as ESPN International which also contain musak versions of Breakout (Swing Out Sister) and Simply Irresistible (by Sir Robert Palmer). I would love to buy those ESPN musak versions...

[swami1]

@gmancine Have no idea who did the muzak versions of those ESPN music beds.

[SimRacin14]

It seems like 80's TV was so cheesy yet kinda awesome at the same time. I like that ESPN notice at 1:22 as well.

[trev17ian]

I remember this

[liberalh8r]

Do not intercept ESPN's signal, you pirates! You will be prosecuted by the long arm of the law and sent to the pokey! Intercepting a signal...that's so '80s!

[Sgrubb1S]

Dig the disclaimer at 1:20.

[texolot]

Holy Cow!!! I remember that disclaimer and the music that goes with it!

[ericcollins81]

before espn got the mlb cable contract they showed college baseball