Derrick Hall defends D-backs’ Timberlake lip-dub video
Jun 2, 2016, 9:58 AM | Updated: Jun 3, 2016, 11:19 am
The Arizona Diamondbacks are 23-32 and 10 games out of first place in the National League West.
It’s a far cry from what was hoped for by fans in 2016.
Last weekend, the D-backs organization released a well-produced video showcasing numerous employees lip-syncing and dancing to Justin Timberlake’s new single “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
While the video brought smiles to the faces of many in the Valley, others scratched their heads wondering why a floundering baseball franchise could find time to have fun at such a challenging time.
President and CEO Derrick Hall defended the choice to release the video.
“It was more for our culture and our employees than anything,” Hall told Doug and Wolf Thursday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “I was very sensitive to the fact that it was going to be produced and released at a time when we were not playing very well.
“It was important to me to make sure that (chief baseball officer) Tony (La Russa) wasn’t in that, players weren’t in that, coaches weren’t in that, so that was by design.”
Hall went on to explain that this video isn’t anything different than what the D-backs organization has done in years past independent of the team’s win-loss record.
“That’s our culture,” he said. “In the past, we’ve done lip dubs, we’ve done the ‘Harlem Shake.’ That’s just who we are — that’s who our staff is. It’s just an unbelievable group of 350 people that have smiles on their faces — they love this organization and they work their tails off. This is something they wanted to do and it does show the personality and the culture of this organization.
“People are watching it all across the nation, probably all across the world. When they’re watching it in New York, they’re not focused on our record or how we’re playing. They’re thinking ‘wow, that’s a great place to work with good, talented people.'”
Hall said there has been very little blowback from the video.
“It’s been really a highlight and a bright spot from our season ticket holders,” he said. “They thanked us for giving them something to smile about.”
