We’ve heard of the ‘Kiss Cam,’ but this story out of Phoenix over the weekend is out-of-the-ballpark amazing!
It all started during Saturday’s MLB game between Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field, the D-Backs’ home ballpark downtown. And the heartwarming tale could never have happened without the lightning-quick communication we all enjoy in the era of social media — and the brands and their PR people who engage in marketing on those platforms.
Here was how it began — with the well-meaning tweet of a roommate hoping his buddy was having a good date at the game.
He directed his question at @Dbacks, the team’s Twitter handle, writing:
Hey @Dbacks my roommate is on a date 6 rows above home plate. Any chance we could tell the camera man to zoom out a bit so I can see how it’s going???
Hey @Dbacks my roommate is on a date 6 rows above home plate. Any chance we could tell the camera man to zoom out a bit so I can see how it’s going???
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
Diamondbacks PR responded that the dude might have better luck contacting the camera crew:
You'll probably have better luck with the TV crew: @BallySportSAZ.
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
The roommate made a line drive to them:
@Dbacks hero’s. Hey @BallySportSAZ any chance? ❤️
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
But by this point, the situation obviously piqued the PR person’s interest… could they make a “Love Connection”?:
What's he wearing? Now we're curious…
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
“BuckArmy” replied:
“He’s wearing a red Dbacks spring training shirt and I think the girl is wearing green.. I really hope he didn’t lie about his seats”
He’s wearing a red Dbacks spring training shirt and I think the girl is wearing green.. I really hope he didn’t lie about his seats
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
The D-backs and the camera crew reported back with some bad news:
Hate to break it to you, but we can't find your friend. 😬
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BallySportSAZ) May 2, 2021
Then the roomie gave them a better set of signs to “locate” what they were after:
Can we try M section F? Red shirt with a girl wearing green
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
3rd base side pic.twitter.com/uQNxNDNFaz
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
That’s when the team account hit a home run:
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
An obviously overjoyed roommate begged for the goods:
Go on! Hahahaha
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
And the PR guy or gal started doing “play by play,” so to speak:
Body language looks good – they seem comfortable. They just laughed too. Stay tuned for more…
Body language looks good – they seem comfortable. They just laughed too. Stay tuned for more…
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
Uh oh they're getting up so we're losing eyes on the subjects.
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
Eliciting this from the roommate:
I love you guys 😂
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
The cam folks were riveted, too:
We're invested in this now. Keep the updates coming.
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BallySportSAZ) May 2, 2021
But it wasn’t over!
THEY'RE BACK.
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
Roomie replied:
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
But then the D-backs noticed something was afoot:
Do they know? They're laughing at something on his phone…
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
Busted!
We’re in trouble 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/hm0tTTWtlu
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
Then the Diamondbacks left no question that they knew what was up:
You’re welcome. pic.twitter.com/TRjmUf323z
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
Then added that they were going to get a “closer” shot:
Well we're about to get in some more…
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
Meanwhile, the camera crew dropped a suggestion for the couple:
Only one way this can end… Wedding at home plate in Chase Field?
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BallySportSAZ) May 2, 2021
But the roomie waved them off with a reality check:
As much as I’d love this.. it’s his second date and I still need someone to pay half my rent
— BuckArmy (@BuckArmy) May 2, 2021
As I pointed out earlier, many brands, including sports teams, take part in fun, sometimes snarky online interactions with fans. This scenario at Chase Field drew attention from another sport’s account, halfway across the country:
We’re totally ready to be a wing account this season 😂
cc: @RoaringRiotZ let the riot fam know in advance
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) May 2, 2021
I had a similar thing happen at Chase Field, but it didn’t involve a date. Many fans not only enjoy the climate-controlled temperature inside the ballpark (the roof stays closed most of the season, since our weather reaches into the 90s, at times, even in April), but another amenity is free wi-fi.
So, a couple of seasons ago, I was checking out tweets with the hashtag #Dbacks when something caught my eye. A fan sitting behind the third-base line had posted a photo of a box filled with half a dozen doughnuts — he wanted to know if someone inside the ballpark wanted a free doughnut.
Well, the answer to that, obviously, was yes! I replied to his tweet then DMed him my seat location. And within minutes, he had made his way halfway around the stadium to my bleacher seat and handed me the box of six pastries. Even cooler, we’ve stayed in touch and met up for a few games over the years.
Back to Saturday. Another Diamondbacks fan asked the team if it would continue its “Love Connection” game with the couple:
How will we know if they get a third date?@Dbacks can you arrange a third date for them? 😂😂
We all had fun on their second date 😂😆 pic.twitter.com/LeMK5xEi6U
— Wendy Get vaccinated, Save A Life (@chillibeanboy) May 2, 2021
And here was their awesome answer — that promised “close-up” and a reply in text messages from the fan roomie, who had something to say about his pal’s prank:
Mission accomplished. 🤝❤️ https://t.co/NpeQRsZmTU pic.twitter.com/VR9bgUAC5L
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 2, 2021
He wrote:
“I can confirm there will be a 3rd date! May need to talk to my roommate about boundaries going forward [cry/laugh emoji]
But in all seriousness thank you guys for giving us an unforgettable night.
Dbacks will forever have my heart [heart emoji]”
A grand slam! So, how did the Diamondbacks fare on the field Saturday?
Considering the fact that the home team lost 14-6 on Saturday to a Rockies team that’s underwater on the season (10 wins to 17 losses), I’m sure many fans were looking for a little sweet distraction. Add to that the fact that the D-Backs go into Sunday’s closer to the 4-game series with a record of just one game over .500 (14 wins to 13 losses).
Having a romantic story to follow instead counts as a win-win, in my book!
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