At the end of Super Bowl XLI, when the Indianapolis Colts’ victory had become reality and Peyton Manning had finally achieved his redemptive win, a sea of emotion and coveted championship merchandise flooded Dolphins Stadium in South Florida. As the winners were outfitted with t-shirts and hats bearing their team logo, the other 288 t-shirts and hats that were pre-made in case the Chicago Bears had emerged victorious. They were locked safely in the stadium waiting to be shipped to the World Vision organization.

Each year when the National Football League (NFL) playoff teams are decided, Reebok begins production of Super Bowl t-shirts and hats with the logos of all the playoff teams regardless of their likelihood to reach the championship. As the teams lose, the clothing is transferred to Pittsburgh, Penn., the headquarters for World Vision. Described as “a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty” (www.worldvision.org), World Vision is consequently responsible for shipping and distributing this NFL apparel to various impoverished African countries such as Sierra Leone, Niger and Uganda. This relationship, which began in 1994, has proven mutually beneficial, providing the NFL with an outlet for their unused goods and World Vision with a reliable source of donations.

—Elizabeth Pacheco, Sports Editor and Josh Bleiberg, Guest Writer