They are two iconic brands that transcend almost every barrier and they have been linked together to create memories through legendary song for decades. That’s why it makes great sense that Monday, on what would have been his 100th birthday, the New York Yankees and their fans will honor “The Chairman of The Board,” Francis Albert Sinatra with a special promotion when they take on the Minnesota Twins.
In addition to all the in-game video, the music, and some other special treats, the Bronx Bombers have put together a special digital giveaway for fans, with the first 18,000 in the house getting a free card to download some exclusive tunes from Sinatra courtesy of Universal Music Group. A nice little extra and a solid reminder to fans of the link between one of the world’s most beloved and respected voices and their team. For anyone who has been around the Yankees or even the city of New York, the link is pretty simple. The song “New York, New York,” which really helped resurrect Sinatra’s career toward the latter stages of his life, is played after each Yankees home game, win or lose. It has been heard after hundreds of wins and special moments, and serves as a great reminder for all things Yankee Stadium for millions when they hear it away from the game. Sinatra’s ties to the Yankees run pretty deep as well, as he was always around during their glory days in the 1950’s, another early link between show business and sports.
Now getting such a promotion staged is not usually easy. Both the Yankees and Sinatra remain two of the most closely guarded brands in the world, and anyone looking to tie-in randomly to either will have a difficult time. However working together in celebration to probably expose the music of Sinatra to a wider audience makes great sense in this case, and tying it to a digital download could even boost the awareness of some of the man’s amazing work to an audience that may now not know his music that well any more. It also helps cement the Sinatra legacy with older fans, who know the songs and will turn out to root on the first place Yanks as well.
Is the Sinatra Centennial promo the biggest of deals? No. Some may say it shows that baseball is still pandering to an older generation with such a promo, when they could be promoting younger and hipper. However nothing could be further from the truth. Baseball does a great job of embracing its traditions and especially recently is working hard to stay more contemporary and engage a younger audience. This promo, on one of its grandest stages, actually does both. It speaks to the digital environment and uses music to convey memories through the brand of the Yankees, making it a solid win for all.
Congrats Yankees and Universal Music. “Old Blue Eyes” would be proud.
