What do you do when you want to show someone you don’t want them to go anywhere? Well, if you are the 76’ers, you plan the most special event to show that superstar how much they mean to not only the organization, but the city they are playing in. And that’s just what the Sixers did to show Tyrese Maxey how much they wanted him to stay.

Planning for this event began in April. The goal was to create an immersive experience reflecting Tyrese’s past, present, and future, with three distinct areas tailored for a bespoke experience.

The venue chosen was the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Philadelphia, a fitting place to show someone how special they are. In collaboration with Synergetic, the Sixers’ creative team designed this event with an emphasis on intimacy and impact, starting from the top of the three-story escalator leading to the ballroom level.

As Tyrese and his family stepped off the escalator, they were greeted by Coach Nurse. The first experience featured four vertical monitors, each with a message for Tyrese from Dawn Staley, Coach Calipari, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese’s family. Next, Tyrese encountered a wall of handwritten letters from over 200 fans, and a LOVE statue with his number video-mapped over the “O.”

Tyrese would then move into Chapter 1, or “The Journey” section, Tyrese walked through a fog wall projecting the chapter’s name and into a museum-like space. Here, he saw memorabilia from his high school and college days, including a custom 20-foot-wide mural, highlight reels, old jerseys, newspaper clippings, and awards.

The second chapter, “The Impact,” featured none other than Dr. J welcoming Tyrese and guiding him through the exhibit. Tyrese rang the Sixers’ game bell three times, each time triggering lighting change and a video to roll about his impact on the community, basketball culture, and his fans.

The third and final chapter, named “The Future” included three special video clips of Tyrese’s professional career highlights. Dr. J guided him through each video and added commentary for Tyrese and his family. Additional features included a holographic display of himself, a future championship ring, and the Sixers logo. The chapter concluded with a forecast of what could be, as his jersey was lowered from the ceiling, symbolizing its potential place in the rafters.

Surrounded by close family and friends, Tyrese was moved to tears, feeling happy, humble, and grateful for the team’s gesture. He was in awe that the team would do something like this for him. It was wonderful for Synergetic to be part of this project. We were proud to play a significant role in ensuring he stayed in Philadelphia.

See the highlight video HERE.

See the full video HERE.

Now, the details from the Synergetic end:

• 5 trucks worth of equipment
• 4 days of setting up and rehearsals
• 156 different lighting, audio and video cues
• 76 lighting fixtures
• 750 feet of black velour drape
• 31 technicians to set up
• 18 technicians for operating the program
• One 3D hologram wall
• 2 fog screens
• 6 PTZ cameras with 2 controllers
• 7 projectors
• 7 TV monitors
• 3 lighting consoles

We were also excited to work with FPS for the first time. FPS provided all the set design and did a fantastic job! Visit their site HERE.

Credits:

• Production Manager: Joe Cooper
• Project Manager: Michael Kirch
• Account Manager: Kyle Byrnes
• Lighting Design: Jason Weldon
• Lighting Programmers: Steven Gallie, Ben Roark, Nigel Allcorn
• Lighting Support: Bobby Cox
• Video Design: Greg Allen
• Video playback: Ed Hurban
• Video Support: John Donlevie, Graham Nolte, Dylan Lillie, Shan Perera
• Audio Design: James DeWit
• Audio FOH: Albert Garcia, Jesse Stehman
• Set Design: FPS – Full Production Services