By Ron Matejko

Football fans were just two-and-a-half minutes from seeing how Arizona Cardinals players looked in their Super Bowl championship gear. Instead, children and families in El Salvador are wearing the items as part of an annual program that sees gear from the losing team donated to people living in extreme poverty.

The National Football League and World Vision teamed up for the 17^th year, as Arizona Cardinals shirts, hats, and towels were shipped to Renacer, El Salvador on Feb. 6 from World Vision’s International Distribution Center, which ironically is in Pittsburgh.

They provided merchandise to approximately 150 children. However, World Vision had not received all of the Cardinals apparel from the game, so they supplemented it with Baltimore Ravens apparel.

“The older kids knew exactly where Arizona is and were excited to have a piece of clothing representing it,” said Karen Kartes, Media Relations Director, Corporate & Celebrity Engagement, World Vision United States. “When all is said and done, we expect to receive about $1 million in Cardinals apparel from retailers, Reebok, and the NFL. The apparel will be distributed in 8-10 different countries.”

Winning by losing

Prior to championship games, Reebok produces shirts and caps and, for the first time this year, McArthur Towel & Sports produced Trophy Towels, announcing each team as the winner. These items are kept on hand for the victorious players to wear immediately following the game. Since 1992, World Vision has accepted thousands of unusable shirts and caps following football’s biggest event.

Additionally, major sporting good retailers and manufacturers donate large quantities of official apparel that they have stocked in anticipation of either team winning the Super Bowl.

Instead of being destroyed after the big game, the losing team items are shipped from the host city to World Vision. There, they are sorted and added to shipments of other goods requested by World Vision field staff in various countries. In the destination countries, World Vision workers distribute the apparel to children and families in need, many of whom have never worn new clothing in their lives.

“World Vision helps us to ensure that no NFL apparel goes to waste,” said David Krichavsky, NFL Director of Community Relations. “We are pleased to find a good home for the clothing by getting it to those who need it most.”

After last year’s memorable Super Bowl in which the New England Patriots lost their first and only game of the season, shirts and hats declaring them undefeated champions were given to schoolchildren in Nicaragua. Patriots’ apparel was also provided to children in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.