Sports fans should get used to this.

Get used to this

MLS’s creatively named “MLS Is Back” tournament began Wednesday night and gave sports fans a preview of what they can expect as competition resumes. Ads. Lots and lots of ads.

Orlando SC took on Inter Miami in the opening match of the tournament inside the league’s bubble at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando. The game itself was a thriller, with Orlando captain Nani scoring a stoppage-time game-winner. As for the presentation, ESPN, unlike NBC with the Premier League, decided not to use artificial crowd noise. But what had everyone talking was the inescapable presence of countless ads. 

A massive blue wall was erected behind the far sideline and used to superimpose advertisements. A second surface behind that wall made it possible to show even more ads.

This is, of course, in addition to the video ad board that rings the