Games one and two of the World Series pitted the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals against each other, sparking friendly wagers between tourism bureau presidents and archbishops alike.
St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission President Kathleen “Kitty” Ratcliffe and Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau President Pat Moscaritolo are showing support for their respective destinations by wagering their organization’s Facebook profile picture.
The losing destination must change their picture to show their bureau’s president in the opposing team’s ball cap, holding up a sign to show their love for the winning team.
Both presidents appreciate the excitement and economic activity in the St. Louis and Boston communities during the World Series. In fact, the GBCVB estimates the total spending impact for each Boston home game will be between $5.7 to $6.3 million. The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission estimates a total economic impact of $7.9 million per home game. Both bureaus deal with tourism-related business for all visitors to their respective cities.
Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, the archbishop of St. Louis, also proposed a wager with Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston.
According to the terms of the wager, the archbishop of the losing team will donate $100 to the Catholic Charities of the winner’s archdiocese. A donation of $100 to the charity can feed a family of four for a week, provide books to classrooms, or support training programs.
And Boston-based Conover Tuttle Pace (CTP), the advertising agency for the Red Sox, and St. Louis-based Hughes Leahy Karlovic (HLK), the advertising agency for the Cardinals, have launched the Beards vs. Birds Challenge for the duration of the World Series.