The Worcester Bravehearts (summer collegiate; Futures League) will unveil Rally Jerseys this year, becoming the first team to change uniforms in the midst of the game based on the score.
The entire team will change into Rally Jerseys if losing after seven innings.
The Rally Jersey move is inspired by two Worcester Bravehearts staples; the tacky jacket often donned by General Manager Dave Peterson during his rally dances, and their infamous “Tequila Rally” where the team repeatedly plays the song “Tequila” by The Champs over the loud speakers for the entire inning and encourages fans to freeze when the music is stopped between pitches. As you would expect, this is a sponsored promotion: the “ Mezcal Tequila Rally Jacket Jersey” is sponsored by Mezcal Tequila Cantina.
On July 26, 2019, in front of 5,500 fans, the Bravehearts found themselves trailing 17-10 to the Nashua Silver Knights. This was when the Tequila Rally debuted, and Bravehearts staff members began dancing in the stands while encouraging fans to do the same as the song played over the speakers. The Bravehearts ended up scoring six runs in the inning that featured four Silver Knights errors. Since then, the team has historically used this tactic to energize the fans when the team is behind.
“I was broadcasting the game in 2019, and I had never seen anything like it,” said Bravehearts Director of Fan Experience & Media Donny Porcaro in a Bravehearts press release. “Seeing the entire stadium get into the rally is what makes it so fun. Now that we have the players also involved in the act, we can really go crazy. We want people to see things at our games they can’t see anywhere else in the baseball world.”
It should be an interesting 2022 for the Bravehearts. Also on the schedule this season: On June 7 and 8 the Bravehearts will host “You-Choose-The-Rules” games where the team is allowing their fans to actually choose rules that will be implemented throughout the game.
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