“You come to a game; you come to experience New Orleans,” Hugh Weber, President of the New Orleans Hornets said this morning. At a press conference at Irvin Mayfield’s I Club, he and Irvin Mayfield announced an initiative to integrate New Orleans music into Hornets home games.

Starting with Wednesday night’s preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies, there will be a live band on the Irvin Mayfield’s I Club Stage in the New Orleans Arena playing music throughout the game. At the home opener December 28 against the Boston Celtics, Mayfield will perform the National Anthem and a new, original Hornets theme song, then he’ll perform again at halftime.

That appearance will introduce a second part of the plan: “Inspired to Play.” A committee that includes musicians Khris Royal and John Michael Rouchell, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s Libra Lagrone, the Recording Academy’s Reid Wick and OffBeat Publisher Jan Ramsey will select 300 songs that will be played over the PA during Hornets games, as well as on radio and television broadcasts.

“We’re going to make sure New Orleans music pervades each Hornets game,” NOJO President Ronald Markham said.

According to Weber, this is “the first time a sports franchise has taken an enterprise to this level,” and it’s purpose is two-fold. Not only does it capitalize on the strength of New Orleans music, but it puts money in musicians’ pockets.

According to Mayfield, “Our goal is to enhance the musical experience at Hornets games by investing in the musicians – both young and experienced – who make this city great.”