"It isn’t easy to convey the full extent of State Farm’s title sponsorship. In the arena, the fictional agent “Jake from State Farm” was treated like a legitimate celebrity, complete with red carpet, airtime, arena applause, and an oddly disquieting but spiritual presence. The most egregious offense? The signature chime sound—“the pick is in”—wasn’t the classic NBA chime. This year, they sold that to the highest bidder, and it became the State Farm jingle."
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>The signature chime sound—“the pick is in”—wasn’t the classic NBA chime. This year, they sold that to the highest bidder, and it became the State Farm jingle.
Adam Silver baby. Everything is for sale.
I don’t understand why Jake is still a thing
The Jake from State Farm thing has been so overdone. Saw a video of the guy doing the jingle at a game and it was corny af.
Sadly, the broadcast coverage was even worse than the production of it. Even Day 3 of the NFL Draft is 1000x better on every front now.
10 mins in between picks is just next level crazy.
Does anyone have a recording of the new chime sound? I was watching a little bit last night and didn’t notice a difference
Community was streets ahead with that Subway episode
Stop watching ESPN coverage of things. Just stop. It’s bad, and it’s always bad.
It is especially bad for things like drafts, because in reality nothing is happening 90% of the time. They’re just speculating while we wait for picks to be announced. There is no useful information to be gained. You’re better off watching someone cover it on youtube or just getting updates on your phone while you do something else.
He’s not even the real Jake from Statefarm
Never even noticed it. (Had the TV muted so I wouldn’t have to hear ESPN’s analysts/hosts yelling at the camera).
I have never seen a sport with so little respect for itself. Seems like nothing in the NBA is treated with reverence. Put ads on the court, put ads on the jerseys, sell the draft to the highest bidder, change the all star game every year, fire coaches who take you deep into the playoffs, sell the television rights to people who actively shit on your product…… but the check cleared so we are good.
[Who the hell actually watches drafts?](https://youtu.be/rsWY6BOIO9I)
And this is why they deny your claims day in and day out – to pay $30 million to advertise at the NBA draft.
Plenty of people will be mad about this, but I don’t understand how anyone can sit through a draft. Any draft, including the beloved NFL draft. They’re f’n boring.
I can’t wait until the draft with a Taco Bell ding
>the fictional agent “Jake from State Farm” was treated like a legitimate celebrity
This is the weirdest thing that sports have had to deal with for what feels like a decade. This “character” doesn’t make any sense because he’s based on a separate ad campaign and a completely different character. But they parade this fictional person designed by an ad agency around like people would ever give a fuck about him (no shade to the actor portraying him at all). It’s so incredibly bizarre. What does “Jake” do? Does he have any defining characteristics other than just a guy that works at State Farm? Why would the viewer care anything about him?
I hate that our world is funded by ads so so much of what we see is determined in the most insane advertisement committees imaginable
I don’t want to shit on the actor – good for him for getting his money, honestly – but every time I see him in an ad, I think it’s gotta be a little embarrassing to have your identity be tied so tightly to an insurance company like that.
Everything feels so soulless nowadays. Where did we go wrong
I think the worst part of the draft coverage is the over focus on the family. I’m not trying to just hate on Malika Andrews because overall she did a fine job but I just wish she’d let the player’s accomplishments breathe a bit more before going into reading off the family stats.
“The Bucks take Mike Johnson who’s parents both went to Virginia, his mother Donna played volleyball while his father steward was on the football team. He has 2 sisters Janet who is a business major at Cal and Tina who is studying nursing at VCU.”
It’s like can we just give the player his moment and blend in the family connections in more naturally?
Worst broadcast I’ve ever seen. That first day with Stephen A, the awkward interviews afterwards with the player and their families, just a total shitshow from start to finish.
Feels like we’re getting closer and closer to the movie Idiocracy “brought to you by Carl’s Jr.”
Your premiums pay for this shit
I had to stop watching after 30 minutes, but that was mostly Stephen A. Just couldn’t take it. Even my wife, who was reading next to me and not paying attention and has no idea who he was asked me, “Why is that guy such an asshole?”
Every time i see a SF commercial i feel my insurance premiums going up!
Late stage capitalism coming for everything on Earth until we’re all just grey goo parroting ad jingles.
He will never be “Jake from state farm”!
This league is gross and so is Silver