The few seconds it takes for a Major League Baseball hitter to walk from the on-deck circle to the batter’s box finds the player locked in, preparing mentally for his at-bat. He’s not enveloped in silence for long at home games, however. Approaching the plate, he’s accompanied by walk-up music, a song snippet he chose that inevitably becomes associated with him and gets the crowd fired up.
Third baseman Austin Riley of the Atlanta Braves is known for strolling to the plate to the sounds of Atlanta trap legend T.I.’s “What You Know,” while outfielder Jarred Kelenic recently made the switch from Eazy-E to the classic rock strains of Boston’s “Long Time.” Relief pitchers, too, have a song they selected play when they enter games.
The Braves are adding to the typical game day soundtrack, however. From the front office to the players on the field, the franchise is increasingly embracing the idea that baseball and music make a winning team. While statistics aren’t kept in this category, the franchise appears to be rising in Major League standings for teams pursuing new musical partnerships.
Through events and partnerships, the Braves are dedicated to “really exposing all the different type of genres we have here in Atlanta,” said Vice President of Marketing and Innovation Greg Mize. “It’s something we’re happy to be a part of. Music, much like the Braves, is an embodiment of someone’s personality and passions.”
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Braves
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Braves
The variety of music-aligned projects the Braves present is extensive.
- The team partnered with CMT to host a Hot Prospects concert series for new country music artists to perform before games at Truist Park.
Credit: Lyndon Terrell for the Atlanta Braves
Credit: Lyndon Terrell for the Atlanta Braves
- On Aug. 7, a yearlong effort sparked by pitcher and indie rock enthusiast Spencer Strider in a collaboration with three Atlanta bands and Third Man Records culminated in a giveaway of 15,000 7-inch single records and performances by Dinner Time and Trash Panda (with Lunar Vacation unable to perform) after the game. Strider also interviewed the bands at a well-attended Aug. 5 tie-in event at Criminal Records in Little Five Points.
- Producer Samuel Ash worked with the team last year to create a song, “La Bestia,” for star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., and the Braves have confirmed Ash has written another song, set to be unveiled in September.
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
- At last season’s Outkast night fans queued up in lines typical of a World Series game, hoping to score a prized giveaway bobblehead of the group. Big Boi even threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Such was its popularity that the Braves had a second Outkast night on Aug. 6, and are now set to honor fellow Atlanta hip-hop titan Ludacris with his own night on Sept. 4 when the home team takes on the Colorado Rockies.
“It’s an all-encompassing celebration of all things Ludacris and what he’s meant to the organization but also what he’s meant to the world,” said Braves Director of Diversity Marketing Eugene Brooks. Brooks hopes fans “come have a fun time and celebrate all things baseball, all things music and all things food.”
With DJ Infamous set to play records on the Plaza stage, the team will have specialty food items connected to Ludacris’ restaurant, and the man himself will throw out the first pitch.
“Yes, they (Outkast and Ludacris) are Braves fans and yes, they represent us in the culture,” Brooks added. “It’s also a way for us as an organization to reach back out to them to say, ‘Thank you’ and honor them.”
In several ways, this season has become a template the Braves will look to emulate in 2025 (just as music-themed bobblehead giveaways expanded from last year). The CMT Hot Prospects series is already set to return. So, too, is the Strider-curated vinyl night, given its initial success and the team’s partnership with Third Man Records, the Detroit music store/pressing plant owned by rock titan and baseball fan Jack White.
Credit: Lyndon Terrell for the Atlanta Braves
Credit: Lyndon Terrell for the Atlanta Braves
“The bands have been just amazing to work with, they’re so down to earth,” Mize said. “I think it speaks volumes to the Atlanta music scene, and how connected these bands are. They’ve all crossed paths at some point, and it’s just been cool seeing the love and support among all of these bands in Atlanta.”
The Braves and their ace pitcher have not yet determined which groups will participate next year.
Strider’s personal interest has been instrumental in moving the project forward. In addition to appearing with the bands at Criminal Records, he stood with the three groups as they were announced before the Aug. 7 game and then introduced the two that played postgame sets.
“He was really bought into this when he was trying to manage being a pitcher and this project,” said Mize. “Unfortunately, now he’s got a little bit more time with his injury, but this has been a really cool outlet for him, and something fun and different to work on.”
Credit: Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images
The Braves are excited about celebrating Ludacris on Sept. 4. But while the team is dedicated to highlighting musicians with huge fan bases and instant name recognition, it remains equally committed to supporting those earlier in their journeys.
“We like to leverage our platform and our fan base to support creators — Atlanta creators, Braves Country creators,” said Mize. “We also see it as a really big opportunity that we have with CMT Hot Prospects or working with some of these up and coming indie bands to use our voice to shine a light on Braves Country’s next generation creators.”
IF YOU GO
Ludacris bobblehead giveaway before Atlanta Braves vs. Colorado Rockies game
7:20 p.m. Sept. 4. Truist Park, 755 Battery Ave. SE, Atlanta. (Early arrival is strongly advised in order to be among first 15,000 fans through the gates receiving a Ludacris bobblehead.) mlb.com/braves/tickets.
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