The Best Sports Commercial Franchises

Some products sell themselves. Others need a little help, some fresh marketing, if you will.

For the latter, targeting the enormous group of sports fans—while using their favorite athletes to do so—has become as routine as it is effective.

Of course, like anything else in life, some do it better than others.

With this in mind, we’ve decided to explore the companies that have brought both excellence and consistency to the sports commercial biz.

It’s worth noting that some one-hit wonders—Reebok (Terry Tate as officer/linebacker) and Visa (Yo vs. Yao) come to mind—were left off the list, for this discussion honors only the most prolific of the bunch.

Let’s take a look at the top 11 sports commercial franchises of all time.

11. Converse

The eclectic shoe brand doesn’t have as lengthy a resume as our list’s other members, but its commercial-making prowess has spanned generations.

As far as we’re concerned, it all started in French Lick, Indiana, with a classic spot delivered by two NBA legends. As seen above, Magic and Bird could deliver off the court, too, and Converse did well to take advantage of their budding rivalry.

Of course, one ad doesn’t land one on such an illustrious list.

To reach that kind lofty status, a brand must stay relevant, which Converse has done with ease.

10. Miller Lite

Though Miller Lite hasn’t churned out sports commercial gold as recently as some, its record over time cannot be questioned.

Of course, an ad man’s job is a whole lot easier when a genius like Bob Uecker is pitching the product. Uekcer's “I must be in the front row” spot sports the kind of stuff legends are made of—and it hardly stopped there, or even here.

It’s worth noting that Miller Lite actually hit its stride in the late ‘70s with trick shots from Steve Mizerak and sophisticated messages from Bubba Smith and Dick Butkus.

With the help of Ray Nitschke and John Madden, the company's commercial dominance continued into the ‘80s, while Keith Jackson carried the torch in the ‘90s.

9. American Express

In 1986, the great Tom Landry gave American Express serious credibility, though the commercial may not be seen in the same light today.

No worry, though, as the financial company has continued to deliver the goods.

It humorously used John McEnroe to pitch its “dispute resolution” program and made us all chuckle with Jason “eyes in the back of my head” Kidd.

And for their greatest trick of all, the folks over at AMEX did the unthinkable: They actually found a way to make Tim Duncan funny.

8. Madden

Though it technically falls under the EA Sports umbrella, Madden Football has truly become a brand of its own and is one of the most obvious members on the list yet.

Its epic, forever-improving product is technologically something to behold, so simply giving viewers a glimpse of what's to come is usually enough to carry a spot, whether it’s 2003 or 2010.

More recently, however, the franchise has exploited our love of laughter, bringing Ray Lewis and Paul Rudd together in the name of comedy gold.

And even without the odd couple, Madden still manages to find our funny bones.

7. McDonald's

Though not quite as prolific as some of the franchises already mentioned, McDonald's is responsible for one of the most iconic sports ads this world has ever seen (linked above).

The burger joint later inserted Dwight Howard and LeBron James into the same Michael Jordan-Larry Bird formula, and though it still worked, the blend wasn’t quite as harmonious.

Of course, McDonald's got its groove back just in time for the 2014 World Cup when it ran this gem all around the world.

6. Under Armour

The folks from fast-rising Under Armour haven’t just saturated the market with their brand, they’ve created a dialogue that’s all their own.

From “protecting this house” to bringing a “Click Clack” kind of voice to the game, Under Armour has brought new meaning to "identifiable."

And that’s not all.

The clothing and accessories giant has tapped into high school nostalgia and can be funny, inspirational and smart. 

If you can make Bryce Harper look cool or convince the great Steve Spurrier to rep your brand, you’re doing more than something right.

5. Budweiser

Admittedly, the team over at Budweiser operates with an unfair advantage and has done so for years. Simply put, anyone with majestic Clydesdales at their disposal is going to be tough to beat, regardless the setting.

So, when Budweiser got its team of stallions to play football (linked above), it was instant commercial magic. When they next found a way to tie the coin toss and instant replay in as well, it seemed nearly too good to be true.

The “King of Beers” has also done an exceptional job marketing to specific fanbases, especially when it comes to hockey and baseball.

And just like a few other franchises of note, Budweiser made the most of this year’s World Cup.

In fact, while we’re on the topic of soccer, do yourself a favor and check out how Budweiser brilliantly used this spot to create Poolball—one of the greatest games known to man.

4. Foot Locker

Few brands have made us laugh quite like Foot Locker has. And the hilarity began way back in 1981, when John Goodman stole the show.

Of course, since then their clever writing has led to nothing but more and more laughter.

The franchise humorously captured the notion of “short memory” when it teamed up with James Harden to poke fun at Charles Barkley and Landon Donovan.

It also successfully ribbed those without rings as well as fighters without ears.

And perhaps best of all, Foot Locker recently used Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis to explore the extreme side of a guilty pleasure nearly all of us share: the total domination of kids on the hardwood.

3. ESPN

ESPN hasn’t always been at the top of the commercial game. But once it arrived—most specifically in 1994 with its “This is SportsCenter” campaign—there was no turning back.

The network is probably best known for its early commercial featuring Mark McGwire. In it Dan Patrick promises to “cherish” McGwire’s record-breaking home run ball before jettisoning it in exchange for a hot new ride.

And over the years ESPN has done well to not just include athletes but to incorporate mascots in their ads as well, as seen in this hilarious bit starring Jason Heyward and the Stanford Tree, and in this one introducing the famous Phillie Phanatic into the everyday locker-room setting.

Sometimes simple is best, however, which LaDainian Tomlinson proved in my personal favorite.

It’s not all about a single campaign, either.

In fact, ESPN’s promotion of NBA games is as funny as the rest.

2. Gatorade

If you’re going to beat out ESPN in this type of showdown, you better bring a lot to the table. Gatorade brings it all.

From absolute classic to uniquely profound, from dramatic to hilarious (and this one, too), Gatorade handcrafts excellence for everyone.

And if you’re still not convinced, give this a look too.

Of course, as great as all that is, nothing registers quite like this once-in-a-lifetime taste of perfection. 

1. Nike

Like the other members of our top 3, Nike delivers in every way imaginable.

The inspiration behind "just do it," Nike is the standard to which all other sports franchises are held. As is so often the case, it pays the most and gets the most in return.

The brand’s complete list of genius campaigns is far too lengthy to include here, but I have provided an abridged list for your viewing pleasure:

Bo Knows

Tiger's Golf Ball Tricks

I am Tiger Woods

Michael and Mars Blackmon

Chicks Dig the Long Ball

Charles is no Role Model

In addition to the accomplishments listed above, Nike made tennis cool and LeBron funny.

And most important of all, it made Lil' Penny, too. 

So in anticipation of popular demand, here’s one more Lil' Penny for the road.

Follow Janovitz on Twitter @BrainTrain9