BOSTON — Fans who packed Fenway Park for the Zac Brown Band concert on Sunday night expected a night of music, but they left with plans for a future vacation.
During the band’s performance of their hit song “Same Boat,” frontman Zac Brown made a surprise announcement that electrified the crowd.
“Tonight we’re gonna do something that even Jimmy would say is crazy,” Brown told concertgoers before revealing that every fan in attendance would receive a free cruise for two. “This is the biggest giveaway in history, ladies and gentlemen.”
Valued at more than $40 million, the surprise gift for more than 37,000 fans is the largest audience gifting in live entertainment history.
Those who were at Fenway for the concert said it was an announcement no one expected.
“People at first were sort of in disbelief, like, Is this real?” Colleen Blair, a woman who attended the concert, said.
“It was like, are you kidding me?” Lisa Minghella, another concertgoer, said.
Everyone at the concert was instructed to pull out their phones to text a special code to sign up before the midnight deadline.
“You do have to upload a copy of your ticket or sort of proof that you had a ticket to the show to be able to redeem,” Blair said.
“I haven’t really looked into the whole thing because I’m still in disbelief. So I’m just kind of like waiting ‘till I get that ticket and have it booked,” Minghella said.
The cruise giveaway is part of a partnership between the Zac Brown Band and Margaritaville at Sea. Throughout the band’s current tour, four free cruises have been awarded at each show. However, the Fenway announcement took things to a much larger scale, making every fan in attendance eligible for the offer.
“I feel like growing up, you know, you would see them on Oprah or other shows where it was like, you know, everyone gets a car, everyone gets some massive prize... I’ve never had the opportunity to be a part of anything like that,” Blair said.
Blair said she’s been on other Margaritaville cruises in the past, and she can’t wait to book her next trip.
“The Islander was a great cruise ship. I had a great time,” Blair said.
Although the tickets for the cruise are free, Bostonians will have to pay to get there, with Margaritaville cruises only departing out of Florida.
“There are times of the year, certainly, where airfare to Florida is less expensive... so I think there are ways that you can plan to, you know, make it more affordable with the travel piece,” Blair said.
“It was just, it was a spectacular night, you know, it just made for a great summer night,” Minghella said.
Fans who attended Sunday night’s show can redeem their free tickets on select Margaritaville at Sea cruises over the next 12 months.
Zac Brown Band holds a record 15 consecutive sold-out performances at Fenway Park.
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