Golf's most storied weekend kicked off in grand style last Wednesday night, as an invite-only crowd gathered at a private home in Augusta's upscale West Lake neighborhood for Sports Illustrated and DraftKings' first-ever Augusta After Dark event, which was presented by Homes.com. Athletes, entertainers and VIP golf fans of every stripe came together for an exclusive evening of specialty cocktails, Masters-inspired fashions and 19th hole celebration, highlighted by an intimate hour-long set from pop rock icon Dave Matthews.
Prior to Matthews' set, guests talked, wore and breathed The Masters, thanks to an immersive themed space that featured turf-studded photo ops brought by MINI, handcrafted cocktails from Corona Premier, canned espresso martinis thanks to Midnight Cowboy, and a Masters gear claw machine dispensing green caps, apparel and accessories. A top-tier hospitality staff outfitted by IZOD, Nautica, Lucky Brand and Reebok saw to guests' every need, while guests posed opposite larger-than-life reproductions of some of SI's most iconic PGA cover images.
The event proved to be the ultimate perk for DraftKings' Dynasty Rewards program members, giving the brand's most loyal and dedicated customers the chance to rub shoulders with everyone from Hollywood star Miles Teller, to Texans wide receiver Braxton Berrios, to famed WWE sister act Nikki and Brie Bella, to beloved song & dance guy Joey Fatone, to the MLB all-star foursome of Ken Griffey Jr, David Wright, Johnny Damon and Nomar Garciaparra.
If you've been to any of the Club SI events at the Las Vegas and Miami Grand Prix races, or the annual bash that explodes every year just before the NFL's Big Game Weekend, then you know the kind of best-in-class treatment that Augusta After Dark delivers.
“With events like Augusta After Dark, the team at SI is continuing to re-imagine the ways that fans experience sports,” says Matt Goldstein, Executive Vice President of Entertainment and Special Projects at Authentic, the parent company of Sports Illustrated, "This team understands that sports aren't just something we watch on TV or even from the stands, they're a space that we can enter, and explore, and live inside of—at least for a little while—where athletes aren't distant figures on a field, but actual people you can meet, talk to and have a drink with. And as often as not, what you learn is that these athletes are fans too, of music, of movies, of other athletes, and they're as excited as you are to be in this unique and extraordinary environment."
Be on the lookout for your chance to be part of SI's upcoming events like the Revel at the Races, scheduled for May 2, Kentucky Derby weekend, in downtown Louisville.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Stars Come Out After Dark in Augusta.
