Country Music Association News
2007 CMA Music Festival Breaks Attendance Record With More Than 191,000 Country Music Fans Attending
"It was an amazing event on many different levels — from the outstanding lineup of artists; to our incredibly enthusiastic fans, who traveled from around the globe to be here; to the outpouring of support from
Attendance at the Festival hit an all-time high. Single concert tickets for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field were up 14 percent from 2006. In fact, CMA opened the upper level of LP Field to meet the demand for four-day ticket packages and single night concert tickets. CMA also experienced a 20 percent increase in the sale of four-day ticket packages.
"Increased single concert ticket sales are an indication of increased local support and participation in the Festival," Genovese said. "It is a trend that started two years ago and we are seeing it grow from year to year. Local companies and individuals are embracing this event as never before — especially now that it benefits music education. In fact, we had 400 Metro
Fans enjoyed themselves and made it known at the Box Office. Tickets for CMA Music Festival 2008, June 5-8, went on sale Saturday and Gold Circle four- day ticket packages sold out in a record 90 minutes. By Sunday, advance sales bested sales during the same period in 2006, by a robust 25 percent.
"You know you are giving the fans what they want when they put down their hard-earned money for an event and we haven't even announced who will be performing," Genovese said. "That speaks to the dedication of our fans, the popularity of the Festival and the strength of our format."
Aggregate attendance has grown from 124,000 in 2003, to 132,000 in 2004, 145,000 in 2005, to 161,000 in 2006, and now more than 191,000. Increased sales of four-day ticket packages and single concert tickets at Riverfront Park and LP Field contributed to the growth, as well as record attendance at CMA Music Festival's free areas — including the Crisco(R) Family Zone, CMT(R) Fun Zone, and Chevy Sports Zone.
Several factors accounted for the increase attendance: sales of four-day ticket packages outpaced 2006 sales; there was an extensive local advertising campaign to drive awareness; additional free performance stages were added; and with the exception of a brief storm Friday, hospitable weather helped stimulate sales of single-day tickets. Even on Sunday, four-day tickets, which allowed access to LP Field, the Convention Center and the Riverfront concerts, were still being sold.
Surprise appearances are a hallmark of this event. And 2007 didn't disappoint. The first night at LP Field included an unannounced appearance by first season "American Idol" winner
"We love giving our fans something special and unexpected," Genovese said. "It is amazing to hear the stadium erupt in applause when an unannounced guest steps out on that stage."
And it all benefits children and music education in
To date, CMA has donated more than
During opening night ceremonies, CMA Board member Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn presented
The
The charity donation is appreciated, but at its heart, CMA Music Festival is — and always will be — about the fans and their relationship with the artists and the music. The theme is universal and in 2007, Festival attendees came from every state and 21 foreign countries including
The Festival got underway Wednesday with "The Third Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade" with an estimated crowd of 10,000 spectators Downtown. Following the procession, the fun kicked into high gear with "The Second Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party" at the Chevy Music Tour Stage on the plaza at The Sommet Center, formerly
Nightly Concerts at LP Field
In all, 32 acts participated in the star-packed Nightly Concerts at LP Field. The lineup Thursday included Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn,
During her first performance at the Festival in 11 years, McEntire, was obviously moved by the adoring crowd's thunderous welcome. She spoke with heartfelt gratitude when she said, "Ah, it's good to hear that."
Fans were treated to performances Friday by Jason Aldean,
Saturday's lineup included
Sunday rocked the house with
"This is the best night of the year for people who love Country Music," Wilson proclaimed to her cheering supporters.
Greased Lightning(R) Daytime Stages at Riverfront Park
Fan favorite
Clark bonded with her audience immediately through a subject that was on everyone's mind — the already-rising temperature that morning: "This is supposed to be the hottest day this year, of course, because it's the first day of CMA Music Festival!"
Joining Clark in the opening morning show were
A half block away on the third-floor, rooftop patio at Graham Central Station overlooking Riverfront Park, "Good Morning America" Weather Anchor
Fan Fair(R) Exhibit Hall
The state of continuous commotion that's been the standard for the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall was back in force with 349 artists and celebrities appearing at the
As in previous years, dedicated fans camped out on the street outside of the Exhibit Hall starting at
Observers estimate that
The Acoustic Corner Presented by
Premiere on the Air
CMA's official radio partner, Premiere Radio Networks, brought 20 of Country radio's top-rated stations including
Borders Books & Music
Borders had locations at the Exhibit Hall, Riverfront and LP Field. The Top 5 selling titles belonged to
"One of the goals with this event is to help build a marketing platform for developing artists," Genovese said. "With the variety of artists on the list, it tells me that our fans are discovering new music at CMA Music Festival and they aren't waiting until they get home to buy it."
CMA Music Festival Merchandise
The official CMA Music Festival merchandise line was very popular with attendees. According to Music City Merchandise, which designs and produces the 20-piece collection, sales were up 25 percent over 2006. Extra inventory was printed during the Festival to meet the demand and quickly sold out. Music City Merchandise, which had booths at the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall, Greased Lightning Daytime Stages, Crisco Family Zone, The Sommet Center, and LP Field, has been CMA's merchandise partner for the past 13 years.
Chevy Sports Zone
CMA's free Chevy Sports Zone was a huge hit with participants and fans looking for fun and friendly competition among celebrities, artists and athletes.
On Thursday the surest shot at the "The Sixth Annual
On Friday, "The
Sunday's "The Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race" had fans revved up. Country Music artists and celebrities raced against the clock through an obstacle course on a New Holland compact tractor and the winner was
As an added attraction, Jay Leno's Eco-Jet, biodiesel-powered automobile was on display at the Sports Zone on Saturday and Sunday.
Chevy Music Tour
The Chevy Music Tour free area on The Sommet Center plaza buzzed with activities featuring vehicle displays, interactive consumer experiences, games, and the Chevy Ride & Drive event. The Chevy Music Tour Stage featured 25 daily performances including a showcase of Bluegrass music and a Latin Country Music Show. Visitors were also able to test-drive an Avalanche, Cobalt SS, Colorado Crew Cab, HHR, Impala SS, Tahoe or one of three Silverados (1500 Crew Cab, Extended Cab or HD with Duramax).
Crisco Family Zone
Growing in popularity each year since it was introduced in 2001, the free Crisco Family Zone was buzzing during CMA Music Festival with activities for youngsters and the young at heart.
The Crisco Family Zone was a popular destination Sunday for the Crisco(R) Family Picnic, featuring free lunch for the first 500 attendees. The meal was made from recipes found in the Crisco(R) Country Favorites Vol. III Recipe Book. Nationally-recognized chef
Before the Festival got officially underway, the Crisco Country Favorites Cook-Off Contest took place Wednesday at the Downtown Hilton Hotel. The Cook- Off winner was culled from thousands of mouth-watering entries. Of the 12 finalists who competed in
Saturday fans gathered under a tent in the Family Zone for "The 24th Annual YWCA Celebrity Auction hosted by Martina McBride" with proceeds supporting programs to benefit victims of domestic violence. The auction, which has been hosted by McBride since 1995, raised
CMA and The Tennessean's Newspaper in Education program teamed up again in 2007 to present "The Fourth Annual Color Me Musical" poster and essay contest. Students in grades K-8 were asked to submit essays and posters describing their feelings about music or the importance of school music programs. The winner in the K-4 division was
The Music City's Rising Star Youth Vocal Soloist Competition was held in the Crisco Family Zone with students from 35 states competing. The Top 5 finishers were announced Saturday on the Greased Lightning Daytime Stages. Earlier that day artist
On Sunday, Greased Lightning and stars gave back to those in need by helping to construct the frame of a Habitat for Humanity home for a
Chris McCarthy, President of the
CMA Celebrity Close Up Presented by Great American Country
The inside track is what CMA Celebrity Close Up is all about with a lively question and answer format hosted by media personality Lorianne Crook. And she treated the audience of more than 2,500 to a bit of insider information with guests Trace Adkins,
Great American Country (GAC) was the presenting sponsor of the celebrity gab sessions, which were taped for two television specials by the same name on the Country-themed cable network. "CMA Celebrity Close Up" will premiere on
CMA Music Festival After Hours(TM)
A record 19 Downtown
Setting the tone for each night's revelers was "The Official CMA After Hours Kick-Off Concerts" following the Nightly Concerts at LP Field in the Hard Rock Cafe parking lot. The free concerts Thursday through Saturday featured Emerson Drive, Lantana, and PovertyNeck Hillbillies.
Another new feature of After Hours in 2007 was the Hard Rock Cafe Writers Night, Thursday through Saturday, featuring some of Nashville's most successful tunesmiths in the round — trading stories and playing the songs that made several artists household names.
ABC Daytime
Real life drama is a staple of both Country Music lyrics and daytime television series, and the artists and actors met at the crossroads during 2007 CMA Music Festival when the ABC daytime stars of "All My Children," "One Life to Live," and "General Hospital" made their first appearance during the Festival.
Daytime actors that attended CMA Music Festival included Colin Egglesfield (
The actors made several appearances in the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall and introduced concerts, but the highlight for fans had to be "Fun in the Sun," Saturday at the Wildhorse Saloon, with interviews, performances, dance lessons, and many more activities for more than 1,200 faithful fans.
ABC Block Party
The ABC Block Party hosted by
Media Coverage
Nearly 700 journalists were credentialed for 2007 CMA Music Festival representing more than 200 domestic and international media outlets. Among the domestic outlets at CMA Music Festival were "48 Hours," ABC.com, ABC Radio Networks, Associated Press, Blender, CMT, CNBC, Country Weekly, "Fox & Friends," GAC, Getty Images, "Good Morning America," People, Premiere Radio Networks, Reuters, The Sportsman Channel, The Tennessean, TV Guide, and USA Today. International media from 11 countries were credentialed as well, including
Sponsorship
Sponsorship is a key element to the marketing, fan experience and financial support of the Festival. More than 55 partners gave out more than 300,000 product samples. Greased Lightning Cleaning Products passed out more than 33,000 samples of their product and ran out Sunday afternoon. In addition to food samples and coupons, Crisco and The J.M. Smucker Company distributed more than 140,000 premium items.
"In our second year as a sponsor, the CMA music Festival has once again helped us to connect with our customers, to find who they are and who we can better fit into their lives," said
Villani said they gave away more than 18,000 pieces of merchandise in the Chevy Sports Zone, including branded stress balls, tote bags, coupons for free Bengal Traders pastries, 2,000 soccer balls including the ones used in Steve Azar's Sports Challenge, and samples of freshly brewed Bengal Traders coffee (even with temperatures in the mid-90s, they gave away almost 2,000 coffee samples). "I can safely say we have some converts," Villani said.
The CMA Music Festival Fun Team treated fans to a wide array of premiums and samples including Cutter(R) Wipes, Yankee Candle (TM)CAR JAR(R) air fresheners, Crest Toothpaste, CMA Awards T-shirts,
2008 CMA Music Festival Tickets
2008 CMA Music Festival will take place Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, in Downtown
To order, call 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378); visit http://www.CMAfest.com to download an order form to fax or mail; visit http://www.ticketmaster.com to buy online or charge-by-phone at (615) 255-9600. Prices do not include applicable handling fees. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable.
Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of seating at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE.
2008 CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL FOUR-DAY TICKET PACKAGE PRICES LEVEL ADULT 12 & YOUNGER Gold Circle (Floor) SOLD OUT N/A Floor Level $165 $116 Lower Level $145 $102 Club Level $135 $95 Upper Level (GA) $110 $78
ABC Television Special —
As previously announced, the Festival was filmed for a two-hour television special "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" scheduled to air on the ABC Television Network
This is the third year the special will air on ABC. The primetime special debuted on the CBS Television Network in 2004.
Both the concerts and the interaction between the artists and fans will be captured in the special with heart-pounding performances interspersed with heart-warming encounters between the artists and their avid admirers. Taped exclusively for the special, cameras followed the stories of several Festival attendees, who had their dreams come true when they were granted a once-in-a- lifetime meeting and personal encounter with their favorite Country stars.
On the Web
CMAfest.com the official Web site of 2007 CMA Music Festival, had 387,473 visitors from
Fans online coordinated a party at Buckwild Saloon on Saturday through the CMA Music Festival MySpace page, where a maximum capacity crowd of filled the club. CMA surprised the fans with an autograph session by Emerson Drive and an acoustic performance by Lady Antebellum — all of which was filmed for an upcoming CMA Webisode.
For up-to-the-minute information about tickets, travel information, schedules, artists appearing at 2008 CMA Music Festival and more, visit http://www.CMAfest.com and sign up for Exclusive, a periodic e-newsletter with exciting artist features and Country Music news.
CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. CMA Board member
Smucker's(R), JIF(R), Crisco(R), Hungry Jack(R),
SOURCE Country Music Association



