ST. CROIX — In one week, a Consortium video showing of the annual Mango Melee mango eating competition — which took place on July 9 at the Botanical Garden in St. George — has garnered well over 1 million video views, a first for a Consortium video, and one of the few videos featuring the territory that has accumulated so many eyeballs in the ever-growing and influential realm of social media.
The tremendous amount of attention the video has garnered from viewers from around the world is not exactly a surprise; last year’s video has collected over 351,000 views, making it the second most popular video on The Consortium in terms of video views.
The attention speaks to the allure of this unique event emanating from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the potential for growth. In terms of reach, the latest video has been seen by over 2.3 million people.
But it also represents a threat to the competition remaining a key attraction of the U.S.V.I., if the creators fail to elevate the competition in terms of marketing and prizes. Currently, the grand prize (there’s only one prize) is $100 for the winner in the adults competition.
People from around the Caribbean have been floating the idea of starting mango melee competitions in the respective islands. If these ideas are pursued and the competing islands invest more into making the event a major identifying attraction, the originator, St. Croix, stands to lose what is now the island’s de facto status.
Tags: mango melee
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