Sports Teams Are Playing a New Role: Matchmaker
The latest promotion at the stadium? Love.
When Tom Ricketts met his wife Cecelia in the Wrigley Field bleachers decades before purchasing the Chicago Cubs, they were among thousands of couples who first connected in that historic general-admission seating area, according to Jennifer Martindale, VP of marketing and communications for the Cubs. Recognizing the surge of young women following the team on TikTok, the Cubs collaborated with the platform to understand the trend.
They realized these women were drawn to stories combining baseball and romance, leading to the creation of "Nine Innings to Love," a TikTok series following a romance writer at a Cubs game. The 17-video series, shot at Wrigley Field in early June, has garnered nearly 1 million views.
Several other sports teams are also embracing romance-focused programming. The Arizona Cardinals introduced "Hooked Day" at their September 20 home opener, encouraging fans to download the Hooked dating app and connect with other single attendees. While its ticket sales are still early, Hooked has already generated interest and will continue offering QR codes around the stadium to attract more users.
The New York Mets, too, are entering the romance scene. In collaboration with events company Hot & Social, they hosted a "Singles Night Out" at Citi Field on August 27, where over 1,300 attendees enjoyed private pregame parties, custom cocktails, and multiple mixers around the ballpark. Despite a stormy night, the event proved popular, with a significant portion of attendees citing a desire to meet new people.
The league also highlighted the event on its Instagram account, further emphasizing the growing trend among sports teams to incorporate romance elements into their fan engagement strategies.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
