Kyle Thompson, Coordinator of Student Leadership Training. Photo by Cody Bromley, The Vista
For baseball fans, the annual Major League Baseball Fan Cave contest is an opportunity to live a dream. For one UCO employee, that dream is one step closer to reality.
Kyle Thompson, coordinator of student leadership training, a love of his St. Louis Cardinals and a video parody of The Lonely Island’s “Like a Boss” has landed him a spot in the top 50 finalists for the contest.
“MLB started the contest last year to up their social media presence,” Thompson said. “It’s a 1500-square foot studio in Manhattan. They put you up in this studio with 16 flat screen TVs and you watch every single baseball game for the whole season.”
Last year, the MLB Fan Cave featured skits and talk shows featuring prominent players and celebrities.
“It’s like hosting your own show,” Thompson said.
Thompson’s video was one of 50 selected out of 22,000 applicants, and is the only finalist from Oklahoma. Currently, viewers can vote for the videos online. Finalists are also judged on their ability to create media buzz, including getting on television and radio shows as well as using social media.
“MLB is going to narrow the field down to their top 30, and those 30 are going to go to Arizona for spring training,” Thompson said. “For three or four days they’ll evaluate your talents and abilities, get you in front of players and see how you interact.”
Out of that group, MLB will then select which finalists are sent to New York to live in the fan cave.
Those chosen for the fan cave will live in New York, with the winner staying for the entire season, with competitors will be periodically kicked off.
“The best I can describe it as is that it’s like a cross of ‘The Apprentice’ and ‘American Idol,’” Thompson said. “You have these contests and competitions periodically, and there will be some sort of voting to keep certain people in the fan cave.”
Although Thompson has not determined how the program would affect his employment at UCO should he be selected, that has not affected the influx of support from his coworkers.
“My coworkers have been incredibly supportive,” Thompson said. “The people here know how I feel about baseball and about sports in general. They know this is a good fit, such an awesome opportunity. It will look great if a UCO employee and native Oklahoman winds up in New York City for the fan cave.”
Voting on Thompson’s video will be open until Feb. 22. Voters can vote as many times as they like on www.mlbfancave.com.
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