Sports
Brewers-Rays World Series bet ties mayoral bragging rights to community aid
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch wagered team colors and a Harley-Davidson ride on the Brewers-Rays World Series. The friendly contest also includes food contributions and a Milwaukee raffle benefiting homeless shelters.
MILWAUKEE — With the Milwaukee Brewers set to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch have put their team loyalties on the line—and tied the wager to community support.
If the Brewers win, Welch will ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle wearing a Brewers jersey. If the Rays take the series, Johnson will wear a Rays jersey and Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge will be lit in the team’s colors.
The mayors announced the bet in a social media video, saying, “They call us small markets. We call this a big deal.”
The wager also includes opportunities for residents to contribute food items. In Milwaukee, a 50/50 raffle will raise money, with some proceeds going to local homeless shelters, Johnson said.
“We saw an opportunity to help our communities recover,” Johnson said, adding that the raffle fits Milwaukee’s focus on housing this year and will support shelters.
The matchup gives the mayors a way to channel the excitement around October baseball into a friendly contest with a local benefit, as fans in both cities follow their teams in the championship series.