Is your property looking to begin a new tradition? Are you looking for new ways to integrate music into your events?
In 2008, the Kansas City Royals started a new tradition that quickly became a favorite among fans. During the 6th inning of every home game, the team began playing the legendary Garth Brooks hit, "Friends in Low Places" on the video board, complemented with lyrics and crowd shots for fans to enjoy. The song, which quickly became known as FNLP among the team's camera crew (due to its regularity), became an instant hit among the KC faithful.
Chris DeRuyscher, the team's director of game entertainment, thought of the idea while attending a Garth Brooks concert at the Sprint Center. Realizing Brooks' history with the Royals organization as a Spring Training participant a few years ago, it made every bit of sense to integrate his music into the Royals' game entertainment.
The Royals used a two (2) hour session with Garth Brooks to create 20-25 different openings for "Friends in Low Places". The collaborating parties catered introductions for the song to specific promotional nights the team was offering during the season (e.g. Ladies night). This is a great example of a team tapping into its local roots to create some true fan entertainment!
Check out a clip of the in-game feature below: