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Your morning commute is about to get a lot more animated—literally. On Thursday, August 21, ESPN is transforming the MTA’s E line into the ESPN line as part of the rollout of its new direct-to-consumer streaming service and enhanced ESPN app. The four-week takeover kicks off tomorrow with a spectacle that promises to feel less like a slog to work and more like a sports parade rumbling through the tunnels.
The inaugural ride leaves from the World Trade Center stop and will be packed with some of the city’s most recognizable mascots and sports personalities. Mr. and Mrs. Met will be there, joined by Syracuse University’s Otto the Orange, the New Jersey Devil, and even the New York Giants’ G-Line Band—because nothing says “good morning” like brass horns blasting underground.
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The train cars themselves are getting a full makeover, wrapped inside and out with ESPN branding. For the next month, anyone riding the E train between Queens and Manhattan may find themselves stepping into what looks more like a mobile sports arena than public transit. To top it off, riders at Spring Street station will hear special announcements from ESPN’s own Stephen A. Smith, meaning your subway delay might come with a hot take or two.
The underground stunt is part of a larger national campaign designed to introduce ESPN’s new all-in-one digital hub, which will combine live sports, fantasy leagues, betting information, game stats and a personalized SportsCenter experience in one place. The launch campaign features John Cena in a new series of ads and collaborations with Complex, Lyft and Samsung, plus activations at big cultural moments like the U.S. Open. But the E train may be the boldest move yet—New Yorkers have seen plenty of subway ads, but an entire mascot-filled train rumbling through rush hour is a whole new level.
If you want to catch the first ride and the full mascot spectacle, head to the World Trade Center E stop tomorrow morning. If not, don’t worry—the ESPN-wrapped trains will be running through mid-September. So the next time you find yourself sharing a pole with a foam-headed baseball or a grinning orange, just remember: it’s not a fever dream. It’s ESPN, making the subway weird, loud and just a little more fun.