Yes, Scotland spiked Miami's World Cup beer sales. But that's not all
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Miami has never before seen a Dwyane Wade jersey on a kilted Scotsman. Photo: Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images
Miami will always remember the Tartan Army invasion — not just for the soccer-and-beer-fueled parties but for the way the Scots immersed themselves in the city's culture.
Why it matters: The Scots looked like locals scarfing down Cuban sandwiches and Pub Subs, sipping on cafecito and boogying "all night long" from Ball and Chain to E11even nightclub.
- They supported the Miami Marlins and the Heat, gave local bars and restaurants much-needed business and created cross-cultural memories that will live on in our hearts (and on the internet).
Sad reality: As their World Cup hopes fade, many Scots are leaving Miami but they will always be welcome back.
Stunning stat: Miami's FIFA Fan Festival recorded 35,000 beer sales on Wednesday, when Scotland played Brazil, per Michael Davidson of Swarm Inc., the fest's event production agency and concessionaire.
- Ahead of the Scots' arrival, the fest was selling between 10,000 and 12,000 beers daily, Davidson said.
What they're saying: Scottish comedian Chris Laoch, who visited Miami from Texas, now has "305 till the death of me" on his Instagram profile.
- "This is gonna forever be my vacation spot now. I've totally fallen in love with this city," he said in an Instagram video. "The people are amazing, it's just such a melting pot of cultures and it blew me away."
- Despite saying he contracted a heat rash from wearing his kilt in Miami's humidity, Laoch said he loved the cafecito ("f--king jittered"), empanadas ("they've got all kinds of stuff [inside]") and guava pastelitos ("AMAZING").
Yes, but: "Wearing a kilt for seven hours a day in Miami heat probably isn't recommended."
What Scots love about Miami
Douglas Loggie, a Scottish fan visiting from Edinburgh, agrees that the best thing about Miami has been the people.
He said he liked Cuban coffee, too.
- "I didn't sleep a wink last night," he told Axios on Wednesday.
- "We don't like the heat, though. It's too hot."
Biggest culture shock visiting America? "The portion sizes have been big. It's been good — we've enjoyed it."