Get Ready for Playmakers Party 2024!
An exclusive FHM interview with Mr. Steve Fowler / @thestevefowler
Hold onto your helmets sports fans and get ready for the 3rd annual Playmakers Party to celebrate Super Bowl weekend, a star-studded extravaganza hosted by the quintessential men’s magazine FHM and the philanthropic powerhouse Babes in Toyland.
Here, we speak to the man himself, Mr. Steve Fowler of Babes in Toyland fame and get a peek at the celebrity guest list, the sizzling dance floor, and the big-hearted mission behind it all.
Welcome Mr. Fowler, so happy to have you, wow, this is the third year of the Playmakers Party during Super Bowl week. What inspired Babes in Toyland to get involved in this event? I had been doing Babes in Toyland charity events for 14 years when the Super Bowl came to Los Angeles. Our first Super Bowl party was right after Covid and people were starved to get back to real life and events. After attending Super Bowl week for 10 years, there was never great events to go to on Thursday of Super Bowl week. Jay Glazer had a lockdown on Wednesdays and every big company was doing parties on Friday and Saturday. We saw an opportunity to take over Thursday night. It was definitely a gamble especially coming out of Covid. Los Angeles kept going back and forth with restrictions but we decided to roll the dice. We booked Lil Jon to DJ, the LA Rams Cheerleaders to perform and added a bikini fashion show, dance performance, partnered up with the NFL Alumni Association of Southern California and got Hall of Famer Terrell Davis to host. The gamble definitely paid off. We had over 1300 people show up including 8-9 Hall of Famers like Kurt Warner, Michael Irvin, Terrell Owen, Eric Dickerson. The energy was amazing. Looking back, there is nothing I would have changed about the night – probably the only event I have ever said that about.
Babes in Toyland focuses on bringing joy to disadvantaged children. Can you share some of the most impactful moments you’ve witnessed through the charity’s work and why giving back is so important? It really has opened my eyes to how many people are in need. I am blessed to work with amazing charities like the Midnight Mission who is the recipient of our toys at Christmas. On Christmas Day, we take a group of the women who host our events and help hand out toys at the Midnight Mission. It is amazing to see the excitement doing something as simple as giving toys to a child that otherwise might not get anything at Christmas. We also work with ForTheTroops.org to collect care package items for active-duty military at our ‘Support our Troops’ event. They have sent 300,000 care packages overseas. The letters I have gotten from troops make me realize how important the little things are. Whoever said “giving is better than receiving” couldn’t have been more correct.
As someone who has been at the forefront of charity events for years, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an organization? I think I have been lucky with the charity partners that I have worked with – Midnight Mission, For the Troops and Noble Critters. They always do a lot of the heavy lifting and make my life easier.
We’re excited about the collaboration with Hounds & Heroes this year. Can you tell us more about the charity and why it resonated with Babes in Toyland? Hounds and Heroes was founded by one of our hosts – Bonnie-Jill Laflin. Bonnie-Jill is a former Dallas Cowboy and 49ers Cheerleader who was the first female scout in the NBA and now a broadcaster. She is really dedicated to helping veterans so it seemed like a natural tie-in with our Super Bowl event.
The Playmakers Party boasts an impressive lineup of former NFL players and Hall of Famers. What can attendees expect from their presence? I think one thing that makes our event a little different is the players are there to have fun and enjoy the atmosphere (and the girls). We only sell a limited number of tickets so the crowd is more curated. There aren’t people bugging them for pictures and autographs. If people want to grab a drink and chat with players, it is the perfect event for it. If they are looking for autographs, tell them to head to the NFL Experience lol.
The event always attracts a diverse crowd of athletes, celebrities, and influencers. What do you think makes it such a magnet for high-profile attendees? I think it starts with the women. I have been very lucky to have some amazing women host Babes in Toyland over the last sixteen years – Lindsey Pelas, Arianny Celeste, Kindly Myers, Carissa Rosario. My emphasis is always making sure the women feel comfortable. I want them to bring their friends and stay all night. It isn’t one of those events where they show up, snap a picture on the red carpet and leave. I do everything in my power to make them feel safe and comfortable.
Over 1000 models and influencers have participated in Babes in Toyland events over the years. What kind of impact has this had on promoting a culture of giving back? Most people view social media as always negative. Babes in Toyland allows the models and influencers to use social media to create a positive in this crazy world – whether it is collecting toys, care package items for the troops or pet supplies. This event would not be what it is without the amazing women (and some male hosts) that have supported us over the past sixteen years. Babes in Toyland has become like family. A lot of the women that followed each other for years finally met face to face at our event. I am lucky to have so many people that travel across the country to support my events.
The music scene at the Playmakers Party is always on point. What kind of vibe are DJs Shift and Stephi K bringing to the event? DJ Shift and DJ Stephi K are both amazing DJs that are incredible in big room Vegas venues and intimate settings. DJ Shift is a legend in Vegas and has been a resident as some of Vegas most popular clubs (Omnia, Hakkasan, Wet Republic). DJ Stephi K has been blowing up more and more (and should be on the cover of FHM). We are lucky to have both of them spin for us.
Can you give us a sneak peek at some of the activities and entertainment planned for the event this year, beyond the star-studded guest list and music? We are still working on some surprise music acts. Babes in Toyland is always about social media content so we will have some very unique photo opportunities including something I guarantee no other Super Bowl party will have (but it is a secret).
Tickets are sure to be in high demand. Can you tell us where people can purchase them and if there are different tiers or packages available? Tickets are available at www.BabesinToylandCharity.com. There are two levels of tickets – General Admission and the FHM Model Lounge. Tickets to the FHM Model Lounge are really limited and will probably be sold out by print date. We are selling tables and cabanas and VIP tables inside the FHM Model Lounge.
What are your hopes for the future of the Playmakers Super Bowl Party? Do you have any plans to expand the event or introduce new elements in the coming years? I think we have positioned ourselves as the go-to party on Thursday night of Super Bowl weekend. With New Orleans and San Francisco coming up and then back to my town of Los Angeles, we are going to keep striving to make the parties more memorable. We also hosted David Ortiz’ Hall of Fame party when the MLB All Star Game was in LA and had Todd Gurley host our College Football Championship Party when Georgia won the championship. We are looking to expand to those events in other cities and produce an event during ESPY week in Los Angeles this year.
Finally, what is your personal message to anyone considering attending the Playmakers Party this year and how can we all make simple lifestyle changes that can make a positive impact in the lives of others? There won’t be a better party on Thursday night with the combination of models, athletes, music and activations. It will be a great vibe and a great crowd. The venue, Azilo at Sahara, is beautiful and not the dark crowded nightclubs that most of the Vegas events seemed to be focused on. There will be plenty of space and fun things to see and do. I think everyone needs to step back and think about doing the little things to make people’s lives better – hold doors open, say thank you, tip your waitress better, donate some time to a charity. There are so many simple things everyone can do every day.