Last week, Paul Jarrett, executive director of Ohio’s Akron Symphony Orchestra, made an unusual ticket offer: a trade-in of a ticket stub to a 2015 Cleveland Browns football game for a free ticket to the Akron Symphony’s holiday pops show on December 11, led by Music Director Christopher Wilkins. Jarrett, a Cleveland Browns fan, came up with the idea during a tough fall season for the team—three wins and ten losses—and following remarks by actor Drew Carey, a Cleveland native, that were widely picked up by the media. “Take the money you were going to spend on the Browns, take your kids, and go to the orchestra,” Carey said. “Then you can have pride in your city. That’s the thing to be proud of.” The Akron Symphony’s “Home for the Holiday’s” show is a family-friendly event that begins with milk and cookies, and includes a Santa visit and singalong. On its Facebook page, the Akron Symphony reported that nearly 100 new fans attended the concert at E.J. Thomas Hall, thanks to exchanged Browns tickets.
Posted December 15, 2015
