NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Red Stars Launch 'Witness History: Take Me out to the Ball Game' Campaign

April 30, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


CHICAGO - The Chicago Red Stars today announced the launch of the multifaceted campaign, "Witness History: Take Me Out to the Ball Game," ahead of the first-ever National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) match at Wrigley Field Saturday, June 8. Past, present and future history surrounds the Red Stars' matchup against Bay FC at the Friendly Confines and lays the foundation for the campaign.

Wrigley Field, one of Chicago's most iconic landmarks, will host the venue's first professional women's sporting event in over 80 years. The match claims a place in history as the first NWSL match played at the Friendly Confines. Record-breaking ticket sales in the first 90 minutes of public availability point towards the event becoming the highest-attended match in Chicago Red Stars history. The campaign now looks beyond club records, aiming to bring the possibility of breaking the NWSL attendance record within reach.

"Some of the best women's soccer players in the world will represent our great city in the heart of Chicago on June 8 at Wrigley Field," said Chicago Red Stars president, Karen Leetzow. "This once-in-a-lifetime experience wouldn't be possible without incredible women paving the way. This campaign honors their stories and furthers the conversations around equity and leveling the playing field to make women's soccer more accessible to Chicagoans. We want Chicago to Witness History with us on June 8 and hope the Red Stars continue to make history in a stadium of our own in the city that we love."

Inspired by the history of the ballpark classic "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," creative agency, Havas Chicago, and the Red Stars created the "Witness History: Take Me Out to the Ball Game" campaign to blend symbolic baseball history with "the beautiful game" of soccer. The song tells the story of Katie Casey, a woman who wanted to cheer on her baseball team at a time when women cheering at ballparks was not as common a sight as it is today. The Red Stars and Havas, inspired by a woman claiming a place in a space that was not "for her", put a modern spin on a timeless classic.

Visually, Red Stars players bring this to life in the launch video by stepping in front of the iconic Wrigley Field Marquee, pulling open the gates and marching in to take over the ballpark. The players step on the mound and wave their flag, toss soccer balls onto the diamond, sit in the dugout and even equip the stadium staff with Red Stars gear.

"This campaign merges the song's feminist roots with the realities of modern women who assert their worth, inspiring a cultural shift that honors past and present athletes," said Co-President and Chief Creative Officer of Havas Chicago, Myra Nussbaum.

Beginning today, Chicagoans will see the campaign elements across social media, television, print media, billboards, public transit and more. Chicago Red Stars players Penelope Hocking, Jameese Joseph, Orland Park, Illinois, native Tatumn Milazzo, Leilanni Nesbeth, Ally Schlegel, Sam Staab and Mackenzie Wood feature in the campaign promotions for the marquee Wrigley Field match.

With the prospect of breaking the NWSL attendance record, the Red Stars also hope the June 8 match at the Friendly Confines will serve as a beacon that shows what women's professional sports can do when armed with accessible and equitable resources. For more information and to help the Red Stars take over Wrigley Field, visit chicagoredstars.com/tickets.

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