Case Study
Extra Extra Innings for ALS
Objective:
Put together a unique fundraising event to coincide with the 2004 arrival of MLB pitcher Curt Schilling to Boston.
Strategy:
Charity Hop founders solidified their business relationship during the inception of this event. Using their signature “outside the box” approach, they looked to bring a unique fundraising event that would assist local ballplayers in the community, welcome Curt Schilling to Boston, and raise funds for a tremendous cause.
They reached out to Curt’s charitable organization, brought together local sponsors and city officials, and rallied the troops by establishing a unique fundraising model to put everything together in just 6 weeks time.
Results:
The 100 Innings of Baseball Spectacular was born in 2004. Over 150 members of the Boston amateur baseball community embarked on what turned out to be a 31-hour marathon baseball game. Players raised pledges from their friends and family members with a unique incentive structure designed to help them offset their related baseball league costs while simultaneously raising funds for the fight against Lou Gehrig’s disease. In year one, over $100,000 was raised for Curt’s Pitch for ALS and the event was highlighted all over Boston during a high profiled Red Sox vs. Yankees series in April of 2004.
Today, the event has become a staple event in the baseball community and has brought in more than $450,000 to Curt’s Pitch for ALS. The organization has doubled in fundraising dollars since Curt came to Boston and Charity Hop has continued the relationship through several subsequent partnerships and initiatives. In recent years, Massachusetts’ first ever ALS continuing education scholarship program was established by one of our key contributors.
Eager participants (including Curt’s wife Shonda) and sponsorship partners continue to come out of the woodwork to support the game and its meaning as it’s made the rounds through several professional ballparks. With imitation serving as high flattery, Charity Hop organizers have seen their fundraising event and model copied all across the country to raise funds for hosts of different causes.
