155 - Game Entertainment 101 - How Great Teams Design Crowd Energy

Mar 17, 2026

A breakdown of how smart teams design crowd energy with in-game promotions that invite whole sections to play along. Timing and placement of prompts matter more than flashy stunts. Learn why giving the game breathing room improves engagement. See how promotions can trigger sales and sponsor value. Discover the PA announcer’s role in conducting the arena’s rhythm.

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ADVICE

Design Promotions For Thousands Not One

Design promotions to involve large groups, not just one participant on the field.
Use examples like the Kings' Lowrider Cam where thousands mimed driving lowriders so entire sections became part of the entertainment.

ADVICE

Use Timing To Maximize Crowd Prompts

Time crowd prompts and tosses for high-leverage moments rather than using them constantly.
The Kings used decibel meters and a foam-ball toss right before a pivotal timeout to get fans loud when the game needed energy.

INSIGHT

Let The Game Breathe

Let the video board breathe instead of filling every second with distractions.
The Kings alternated interactive prompts with stat displays and music so fans could focus on the game during quieter stretches.

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Most teams treat in-game promotions as filler between plays. The best teams use them to design the energy of the building.

In this episode, Jeremy breaks down what he observed during a Sacramento Kings game and shares five practical principles he calls Game Entertainment 101. These fundamentals show how smart teams engage thousands of fans at once, create better crowd energy, support sponsors, and even drive revenue during the game.

Whether you work in marketing, ticket sales, or game operations, these lessons can help you create a more intentional and more engaging game-day experience.

Game Entertainment 101 – The 5 Rules

1. Design promotions for thousands, not one person
Too many promotions involve one fan on the field while everyone else watches. The best promotions invite entire sections — or the whole building — to participate. At the Kings game, a themed “Lowrider Cam” had fans pretending to drive lowriders in their seats, turning thousands of fans into part of the entertainment.

2. Timing matters more than the promotion
Crowd prompts like “Make Noise” or decibel meters are most powerful when used strategically. The Kings used them before tip-off, coming out of halftime, and during key late-game moments — when the team needed crowd energy the most.

3. Let the game breathe
The video board shouldn’t demand attention every second. The best game presentations mix high-energy interactive moments with quieter stretches where fans can simply watch the game and take in the atmosphere.

4. Game entertainment should drive revenue
In-game moments are powerful opportunities to promote concessions, merchandise, and sponsors. The Kings tied promotions to specific game moments — like a discount triggered after the team hit its 10th three-pointer — creating excitement while driving sales.

5. Your PA announcer is a crowd conductor
A great PA voice does more than read scripts. They help guide the rhythm of the game — amplifying big moments, supporting promotions, and letting the game breathe when it needs to.

Key Topics Covered

Why many in-game promotions fail to engage fans
How to design promotions that involve entire sections
The importance of timing for crowd prompts and giveaways
Using game entertainment to drive concessions and sponsor activations
The role of the PA announcer in shaping the fan experience

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