Monumental Sports & Entertainment is partnering with nonprofit HeadCount to table at games and events at Capital One Arena, and during Mystics games at Entertainment & Sports Arena, encouraging fans to exercise their civic right to vote

Washington, D.C. – Today, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and HeadCount, the nonpartisan, nonprofit voter registration organization, announced their partnership to encourage sports and entertainment fans to register to vote, which will last through the Spring/Summer of 2023. Monumental Sports & Entertainment – and its professional sports team franchises, the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics – are launching this engagement to continue the utilization of their platforms to remind fans of sports, teams, and athletes that it is their right to engage in civic activity: register to vote, become educated on the issues, and cast a ballot for each election within their jurisdiction.

“The call for voting comes up often during presidential election years – which is understandable. It’s the one ballot choice which every American shares. But the truth is, the presidency has far less impact on a citizen’s everyday life than the hyper-local, elected officials who are often chosen in ‘off years,'” explained Monica Dixon, MSE’s President, External Affairs & Chief Administrative Officer. “But too many people stay home during those crucial elections which grant authority to leaders who dictate the policies and practices of neighborhoods and towns. On which services should local tax dollars be spent? What social issues are of greatest priority? Which ordinances makes sense for us and what should be the penalty for violations? When people stay home, the system can no longer reflect their values in answering those questions. And that is why we are investing in voting and will continue to build upon the work we accomplished in the last presidential year.”

Representatives from HeadCount will be stationed at tabling locations from the moment doors open (usually one hour ahead of puck-drop, tip-off, or call time for concerts) for all pre-season, regular-season and postseason games for the Capitals, Wizards, Mystics and concerts. Throughout the 2022-23 season, HeadCount will staff over 120 games and events between Capital One Arena and Entertainment & Sports Arena. And there will be special opportunities for fans to connect digitally and on social media for special, season-long contests where fans take a voter action (check voter registration status, register, refer a friend to register, etc.) for a chance to win a team-branded item (jersey, VIP tickets, signed merchandise, etc.).

Voter registration tables and information will be located at:

• Capital One Arena for Capitals and Wizards games and concerts/events:
  • 100 Level Concourse (street level)
  • 400 Level Concourse (top level)

• Entertainment & Sports Arena for Mystics games:
  • Street Level Concourse

• Community Events:
  • Each professional sports team – the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics – will also make use of HeadCount’s representatives at two community events throughout the season.

The effort officially launches on Thursday, July 21st as the Mystics will return to play at Capital One Arena for one game this season. Representatives will then be at every remaining home Mystics game at Entertainment & Sports Arena for the remainder of the season – including any potential postseason play. The Capitals and Wizards will support this effort beginning with their first preseason home game in September and October, respectively, and will continue until the end of their regular season – and inclusive of any postseason runs. In a specialized push, HeadCount representatives will also be at all 30 upcoming concerts scheduled for Capital One Arena until the Midterm 2022 elections.

During the 2020 election cycle, Monumental Sports was proud to open its doors for the first time as a Voting Super Center, in collaboration with the D.C. Board of Elections. The arena served as an early voting location, a ballot drop-off location and an in-person, Election Day voting site. The Entertainment & Sports Arena also served in the same capacity. Nearly 4,500 people voted in-person at Capital One Arena and at Entertainment & Sports Arena during Early Voting and on Election Day – with thousands more who used the secure drop boxes at both arenas.

Additionally, Monumental Sports, the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics executed a robust voter education effort including a kick-off press conference and consistent media pitching/coverage, dedicated voter information page on team websites, consistent social media pushes across all their platforms, in-arena and on-broadcast mentions, recordings from athletes and team officials on the importance of voting, and a collaboration with other Washington D.C. sports teams on a mailed flier to all D.C. households as well as an in-person voter registration drive in Ward 8, across from Entertainment & Sports Arena. The direct and indirect net of the efforts was measured in the thousands of additionally registered voters.

HeadCount has an experienced team of representatives, expert in the skill of quick and friendly engagement to get people registered to vote – or provide information to make sure their previous registration has remained current. HeadCount aims to meet young people where they already are – at concerts, festivals and live events – to encourage civic engagement. Its partnership with Monumental Sports marks the organization’s first venture into the sports world. In addition to its presence at home games for the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics, HeadCount will be at 30 concerts at the Capital One Arena between the launch and the Midterm Elections.

“Sports fans are some of the most passionate, engaged fans in the country and in partnering with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, we can help motivate D.C. sports fans to make their voices heard in the upcoming elections,” said HeadCount Co-Founder and Executive Director Andy Bernstein. “Our expansion into the sports industry with the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics is a major step forward in expanding our reach, meeting voters where they are, and inspiring fans to get involved and take action.”

For more information visit: www.headcount.org/mse

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About Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is America’s leading sports and entertainment family. Our people, players, teams, and events bring excitement and joy to millions. We invest and innovate to consistently raise the game so we can deliver extraordinary experiences that will inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. To learn more, please visit www.monumentalsports.com.

About HeadCount
HeadCount is a non-partisan non-profit organization that harnesses the power of music, culture and digital media to register voters and inspire participation in democracy. Since 2004, we’ve registered over one million voters through our work with musicians like Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Dead & Co, Harry Styles and Megan Thee Stallion; events including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Pride Festivals, and RuPaul’s DragCon; plus partnerships with brands like Spotify, Ben & Jerry’s, and GrubHub. Our award-winning online campaigns have been seen over a billion times, while our 50,000 volunteers can be seen at more than 1,000 live events each year. We reach young people where they already are – at concerts and online – to inform and empower.