B.O.M.B.

The Bars of Madison...Bitches (B.O.M.B.) pub crawl, takes place annually in Madison, Wisconsin over the course of a pre-determined Saturday in February, and is the only incorporated pub crawl in the US ["Incorporating a Drunken Mess" Milwaukee Journal Sept 24 2005: A3] .

Origin of BOMB

Bars of Madison...Bitches, or B.O.M.B., was the brainchild of a group of UW-Madison alumni. The original purpose of B.O.M.B. was to act ostensibly as an organized reunion for other UW Alumni, though was and is not exclusive to graduates of the university. The popularity of the event was such that establishments started competing for the privilege of becoming a stop on the crawl, and bar owners starting paying the group in order to benefit from the media frenzy surrounding the event ["Boosting Bar Sales through Old Fashioned Debauchary" Wisconsin State Journal Mar 19 2006: C6] .

Formation of the B.O.M.B. corporation

Due to the amount of income that the event generated, Cory Wobig, the founder of B.O.M.B., elected to form a corporation in 2005. Wobig owns the company outright and acts as the board's chairman, while the participating bar owners act as the board members ["(Risky) Business Ideas for the Young Entrepreneur" Forbes Oct 19 2005: 70] .

Example Schedule of Bars

Controversy surrounding B.O.M.B. corporation

In 2006, Wobig elected to donate 50% of all profits to charity by way of sponsoring their friend, Brett Sand, in a number of races whose entry fee proceeds went to a variety of charitable organizations. Two problems resulted from this, the first being that some of the actual charities being represented were aimed at the prevention of alcoholism. The provided race gear, emblazoned with various drinking establishment logos, was looked at as disrespectfully ironic. The other problem was that the race fees and donations amounted to just shy of $10,000, while the amount given to Sand with a ceremonial novelty check was in the amount of $250,000. Wobig has refused to comment on the discrepancy, and the two have come under no legal action at the present time [Kvalheim, Michael. "What is Wrong with Business and Ethics in America." Journal of Social,Issues 58.2 (2006): 200]

In early 2007, Brett Sand was dealt a cruel twist of fate. While participating in a charitable track meet for the Special Olympics in Atlanta, GA, Brett experienced a massive ischemic stroke during the long jump event. Immediately after blacking out, he tripped over his own feet and fell head-long into the landing pit, where he marked his personal best distance of 1' 3". Brett was immediately rushed to the hospital and he awoke hours later to learn that he had captured the Gold Medal. Through tears, he uttered, "I am a special," (Corky, "Life Goes On") while doctors wiped the drool from his chin. Still in recovery at Paradigm Rehabilitation Services in Naperville, IL, Brett is struggling to relearn life's most basic tasks. [Rydzewski, John. "Staying the Course Through Tough Times." Naperville Review (May 2007)]

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