For the first time in ACM history, the Entertainer of the Year award was decided strictly by fan vote. Kenny won the title for the fourth consecutive year––Garth Brooks also won four in a row, while Alabama won five straight honors. Kenny told reporters backstage that he feels that fans should be included in the voting, just not for the night’s most prestigious prize. “The Entertainer of the Year trophy is supposed to represent heart and passion and an amazing amount of sacrifice, commitment and focus,” Kenny said. “That’s the way Garth won it four times, that’s the way I won it, the way [George] Strait won it, Reba [McEntire], Alabama all those years. That’s what it’s supposed to represent.” Kenny added that his complaint is with the industry and not the fans, noting that,"It's complete disrespect of the artist, what they've lowered it to. The Academy should really reconsider the way it does this award.”