Kid athletes and the art of the sell

I've made a career - I'm trying, at least - of calling attention to and then lamenting the commercialization of youth sports. The Little League World Series contributes $16 million to the Pennsylvania economy each year and attracts TV ratings higher than many pro sports. One of ESPN2’s highest rated programs on record - second only to coverage of Dale Earnhardt's death - was the net's first telecast of Lebron James as a high school basketball player. On and on.

I'm not expecting to hold back the flood gates of commercialism. But from time to time I will be pointing out examples of youth sports transformed (and reduced) to selling and marketing a product. This ad promotes a noble purpose - Britain's Child Trust Fund. And it's pretty hilarious - six views and I'm still smiling. Still, it's an instance of an ad campaign built around a kid in a sports uniform breaking into the pro ranks.