Scotland fans are celebrating the World Cup with such enthusiasm that they have nearly drained Boston of its beer supply. The Tartan Army, numbering over 20,000, has descended on Massachusetts for Scotland's first two group stage matches of the tournament.
Unprecedented Demand
Fans have been enjoying pints and singing Baccara's hit "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie," which has become an unofficial anthem, at numerous Boston bars. They also visited Fenway Park to watch a Boston Red Sox game. However, the surge in demand has led to pubs running out of beer.
Noelle Somers, chief operating officer of Hennessy's Bar in central Boston, reported that trade had tripled compared to St Patrick's Day. The bar ran out of beer on Sunday night and was restocked on Monday. Another delivery is expected on Thursday ahead of the match against Morocco on Friday. She told the Boston Globe: "We've been here for over 30 years and we've never seen anything like it."
Taproom Sam Adams, also running low on beer, noted that demand for its Boston lager was four times higher than during the holiday season. Scotland's dedicated bar, The Haven, ordered more than 100 kegs of Tennents to keep up with demand.
Warm Welcome and Generosity
Boston natives have warmly embraced the Scottish visitors. One Reddit user joked: "I for one welcome our new kilted overlords." The supporters group Providence Tartan Army raised nearly $30,000 in donations for the city, including $10,000 donated to the Hasbro Children's Hospital cancer unit.
