Press Releases

Tampa Rays' One Step Closer to Fulfilling Pizza Man’s Prophecy

Oct. 09, 2008

DENVER – Johnny’s New York Pizza owner John Keiley is better known for his predictions rather than his pies. He’s 2 for 2 in his prior out-of-the-park sports predictions and well on his way for going 3 for 3 now with the Tampa Rays advancing to the ALCS , A prediction he made back in late June.

Keiley was so confident the Rays would reach the World Series that he painted the outside of his Lakewood, Colorado store front on July 7, 2008 stating “Free pizza for the world if the Rays win the World Series!” It would be the third type of deal Keiley has made and prepared to deliver on.

Keiley is not a Rays fan but loves predicting historic outcomes. In June of 2007, Keiley predicted his hometown Rockies to sweep the New York Yankees and when they did, he gave out free pizzas the next day. The event drew so much media attention that he made another prediction prior to the start of the NFL season predicting that a team would go 16-0 and when the Patriots did just that, Keiley again gave out free pizzas. Both events cost the pizza parlor owner close to $20,000 in pizzas and overhead but the marketing impact was immeasurable. His recent prediction and success of the Tampa Rays has not gone unnoticed. The St. Petersburg Times ran a cover story on Keiley and his new found love for the Rays. The story soon found its way to CBS Morning News in New York City, CNN Headline News and finally The Rocky Mountain News among others. St. Petersburg First Deputy Mayor Tish Elston made a special visit to Johnnys New York Pizza and delivered a Rays care package to Keiley while visiting family in Colorado. Keiley has since seen a plethora of Rays fans stopping in his store.

It is often said that if you make a prediction once and it‚s a fluke. Go two for two and it‚s a coincidence. But go three for three and you‚re a genius. Regardless if the Rays beat the Red Sox in the ALCS or not, Keiley‚s marketing methods along with a lot of luck have made him the “Swami of Salami” when it comes to predicting a winner.