There are many thrilling experiences that come with working in sports production. But for Greg Farnese, a resident camera operator, you can add singing live to almost 40,000 fans to that list.
NBC Sports Philadelphia hosted its annual “Announcers in the Stands” Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. (Put in alphabetical order with last names) Tom McCarthy, John Kruk, Ben Davis and Ruben Amaro Jr. sat in the first row behind home plate to announce the Phillies game against the Marlins. But that wasn’t the only thing out of the ordinary for the broadcast.
To elevate the special day, McCarthy thought it would add another wrinkle if Farnese were to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch. McCarthy went to the Phillies broadcast and video team to make it happen.
Farnese joined NBC Sports Philadelphia in 1997, when the network was known as Comcast SportsNet. He has been a member of the camera crew ever since, working in left field at the Vet from 1998-2003. When Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, he remained in the same spot – section 143 – operating what is referred to as the Left-Field Power Alley Camera.
“My job and responsibility is to not only tell stories during the telecast, but also to follow that little white ball wherever it goes,” Farnese said. “It’s always great when it lands right there in the seats by one of our Phillies players.”
When handed the microphone by Phillies game day staff just before the seventh inning stretch, Farnese – wearing a powder blue J.T. Realmuto jersey – soaked in every part of the moment: McCarthy narrating it on the air, the cheers from section 143 and his face plastered across the 13,000-square-foot jumbotron.
It’s not every day the cameraman becomes the star of the show.
But that adrenaline rush isn’t entirely new for Farnese. He’s [actually?] done this before. His first time performing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Citizens Bank Park came in 2016 – from the same Left-Field Power Alley camera platform. The only difference was his choice of jersey: a cream-colored Chase Utley.
The moment felt natural for Farnese. After all, entertaining a crowd isn’t limited to his work behind a camera. Away from Citizens Bank Park, he’s spent 12 years performing as a professional musician, making the spotlight just as familiar as the ballpark.
“There are many similarities,” Farnese said of his two professions. “Working in live sports is exhilarating because it’s ‘live,’ leaving no room for error. Performing on stage, live in front of an audience, is just as rewarding.”
Rewarding might not do it justice.
For the rest of Tuesday’s 8-2 Phillies win over the Marlins, along with the following game on Wednesday, fans didn’t hesitate to show Farnese some love. “I had at least 300 people come up to me saying how much they enjoyed it. It made my day. Many even requested that I should do it every game.”
Fortunately for the fans asking for an encore, Farnese has no shortage of opportunities to perform. Farnese is releasing a record August 15 titled Oh No, I’m in Love Again, produced by three-time Grammy nominee Orrin Evans. The album features a few of Farenese’s original songs as well as contemporary pop covers and jazz arrangements.
Faranese also performs throughout the Delaware Valley, appearing regularly at bars, cafes and restaurants including Cellar Dog, Blue Plate and the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City.
At the end of the day, working in sports isn’t just about telling stories. It’s about recognizing the people on your team – your sports teams and your professional ones. It’s about family, camaraderie and a mutual appreciation for the people who help bring those stories to life.