It’s not surprising that the Chicago Cubs spurred on merchandise sales with their 2016 championship run, but it wasn’t just retailers that cashed in on the World Series title.
According to data reported by Crain’s Chicago Business, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office saw a massive surge in the number of Cubs vanity plates purchased by drivers in the state. Since last summer, the office has seen demand for Cubs plates skyrocket by 65 percent, with over 10,000 drivers in the state now owning the plates.
The Cubs may have seen a massive jump in popularity among Illinois drivers, but surprisingly they still aren’t at the top of the list. In fact, the Cubs are in third place, still trailing the Chicago Blackhawks, who have over 21,000 plates on Illinois cars, and the White Sox, who have nearly 13,000.
According to the Secretary of State’s office, a portion of the proceeds from the special sports plates goes to the Professional Sports Teams Education Fund.