Don't get your panties in a bunch. ABC owns ESPN. I'd imagine the promo spot has some relation to their soccer ad, and One Campaign ads. We may well see One Campaign ads on ABC soon.
from atu2:
NEW @U2 U2 AND ESPN ... TIMES THREE
May 09, 2006
posted by: m2
News from U2Portugal.com via U2tour.de -- the ESPN/U2 World Cup commercials are now available on the web, and what a surprise -- not just Bono doing voiceovers, but Adam does one, too. To see and hear for yourself:
Visit ESPNsoccernet and click ENTER. A new window will pop-up, and you can use the small links at the bottom to watch the three U2-themed commercials: "Anthem" featuring Bono and "City of Blinding Lights", "Cheerleaders" featuring Bono and "Where the Streets Have No Name," and the hysterical (sorry, Scots!) "Tartan Army" featuring Adam and "I Will Follow."
This is also worth mentioning: We're told the band did not get paid for these commercials. The agreement is the same as U2's previous cooperation with ESPN: The band gets the exposure, the network gets use of the music. In addition, there's a brief but noticeable ad for The One Campaign at the end of the "Cheerleaders" spot, which is perhaps part of the agreement, too (but that's speculation for now).