Travis Scott performs at the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park, Friday, November 5, 2021 in Houston. Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Scoremore, an Astroworld promoter, told staff to call dead fans, "smurfs," according to a planning paper.
This document instructs event staff not to use the words "dead" or "deceased" over radio.
The document stated that "Let the event continue if there is no threat in their area."
According to Scoremore concert organizers, staff at Travis Scott's Astroworld festival were instructed to call dead concertgoers "smurfs" according to an event planning document.
The Event Operations Plan (Event Operations Plan) for the NRG Park concert series in Houston, Texas instructs staff not to use the terms "dead", "deceased" or "dead" on the radio.
Scoremore instead instructed concert staff to use "smurf" as a code word to describe deceased concertgoers.
CNN first reported the planning document. It was created before the concert.
The document's final section includes a black text box and white lettering that advises staff in all caps: "All efforts must be made not to panic spectators." If there is no threat, let the event go on.
Scott's performance was ruined by fans who rushed to the stage and crushed spectators.
Authorities have confirmed that eight people, including a boy aged 14 and two best friends, were killed in the crowd surge. In the chaos, hundreds more were hurt, including a boy on life support.
At least 18 lawsuits were filed against Scott, LiveNation, and Scoremore by victims' families and survivors seeking damages for the fatal show. Scott stated that he was "devastated" and offered to pay the funeral expenses of his deceased fans.
Brent Taylor, a spokesperson from the Houston Mayor's Office, stated that the use "smurf” in the document was "operational."
Taylor stated that he had heard the term "secondhand" used before but referred more questions to Scoremore.
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The document also advised Astroworld staff to not communicate with the media under any circumstances. The document states that "no member of Event Staff should give comments, quotes or information to any member the press at any time."
Scott, Live Nation and Scoremore representatives didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
This story is still in development. Keep checking back for more updates.
Insider has the original article.
