ESPN is gearing up for the first Monday Night Football game of the season with its “Ready. Check. Football” commercials in collaboration with Arts & Letters Creative Co. The creative, which is part of the Ready For Football platform, features :60, :30, and :15 spots.

In the creative, ESPN highlights how readiness plays out in the football world. Need to set your fantasy football team name? “Check.” Have to find that fresh-cleaned Aaron Rodgers New York Jets jersey to put on? “Check.” All across the country in various settings, fan bases are checking items off their list in preparation for kickoff, and in preparation for the readiness of the NFL, a checklist can take on a life of its own.

“We started with a simple fan truth, that every fan anticipates and prepares for the start of the football season,” said ESPN Senior Director of Sports Marketing Curtis Friends. “So for this year’s Ready For Football campaign, we had fun along with fans building the ultimate checklist and showcasing how the football world gets ready.”

Notable features within the ads include the aforementioned Jefferson, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, ESPN’s Monday Night Football duo Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, the Manningcast duo Peyton and Eli Manning, and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, among other players, fans, mascots, and more.

Said Andrew Kong, Creative Director at Arts & Letters, “Another year of football means another year of getting NFL fans ready for another year of the NFL on ESPN. What better way to do that than with an epic checklist filled with fired-up fans and check mark-shaped meats?”

Monday Night Football Returns with Signature Matchups and Marquee Teams
ESPN’s Monday Night Football returns for the 2023-24 NFL season with Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters and John Parry together for their second season all together. ESPN’s enhanced schedule this year includes Monday Night Football airing Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets debut, the Kansas City Chiefs – Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl rematch and multiple appearances by the Dallas Cowboys. 

Throughout the season, Monday Night Football will bring fans the league’s best teams, star quarterbacks and top storylines beginning with the Bills at Jets in Week 1 (Sept. 11: 8:15 p.m. ET – ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes).

CAMPAIGN TITLE:
“NFL on ESPN – Ready. Check. Football.”
First Air Date: Sep 7, 2023

Client: ESPN
EVP, Commercial Marketing, Disney Networks & ESPN: Laura Gentile
EVP, Creative Studio & Marketing: Tina Thornton
Senior Director, Sports Marketing: Curtis Friends
Associate Director: Sports Marketing: Lauren Gorajek
Associate Director: Sports Marketing: Alexa Dettelbach
Manager, Sports Marketing: Olivia Nowokunski
Marketing Coordinator, Sports Marketing: Nidhi Bhagat
Marketing Coordinator, Sports Marketing: Leah Jones
Marketing Coordinator, Sports Marketing: D’Nathan Knox
Senior Creative Director, G&L: Chris McClure
Senior Creative Director, G&L: Ryan Campbell
Senior Writer, G&L: Kevin Sullivan
Associate Producer, G&L: Ashley Hodge
Associate Director, Marketing Production: Matt Cheron
Associate Producer II: Jonathan Little
Production Coordinator: Sean Andersen
Production Coordinator: David Wimberly
Production Assistant, G&L: Natalie Booker
Senior Producer: Albert Herrera
Promotions Producer II, G&L: Blanca Lopez

Agency: Arts & Letters Creative Co.
Founder, Executive Creative Director: Charles Hodges
Executive Creative Director: Molly Jamison
Creative Director: Andrew Kong
Creative Director: Chris Kim
Creative: Joe Jones
Creative: Craig Gerringer
Executive Producer: Calleen Colburn
Producer: Danny Ryan
Assistant Producer: Austin Butler
Group Business Director: Brenda Schneider
Business Director: Martin Madriaga
Business Manager: Lauren Lawson
Director of Strategy: Andy Grayson
Strategy Director: Alex Morrison
Strategist: Bodi Karsono
Director of Business Affairs: Lenora Cushing
Business Affairs: Jennifer Kmetzsch
Music Supervisor: Cam DiNunzio, Casey Wheeler

Editorial: Cosmo Street
Editor: Marlo Caine
Assistant Editor: Lee Williams
Head of Production: Luiza Naritomi, Anne Lai
Senior Producer: Amanda Slamin

VFX: Buck
Flame Artist: Brooks Tomlinson
Animator: Marc Bouyer

Color: Trafik
Sr. Colorist: Daniel de Vue
Assistant Colorist: Monica Escalante
Color Producer: Julia King

Sound Design and Audio Mix: Barking Owl
Sound Designer & Mixer – Elizabeth McClanahan
Executive Producer – Ashley Benton
Associate Producer – Jenna Pangilinan
Creative Director – Kelly Bayett 

Music: Walker