The Kansas City Symphony issues a World Series challenge to the New York Philharmonic

Oh, now it’s on.

The Kansas City Symphony has issued a World Series challenge to the New York Philharmonic:

Music Director Michael Stern says if the Mets win the World Series, the Symphony will send a barbecue lunch to the Philharmonic and its conductor, Alan Gilbert. The Symphony also will play “New York, New York” while Stern wears a Mets jersey at a future performance.

But there’s a “but.”

“WHEN we win,” Stern told the audience last weekend at the Kauffman Center, “The challenge for them is that Alan will don a Kansas City Royals jersey. At his next concert in New York, they will play as an encore, ‘Everything is Up to Date in Kansas City.’ And we expect lunch, for everyone in the orchestra, New York’s finest bagels, cream cheese and lox. And I’m not talking about the packaged, store-bought kind.”

Watch the video of the challenge below.

Stern, a “born and bred New Yorker,” confessed to perhaps once being a fan of the Royals’ opponent.

“I was and might at some point in the future again be a Mets fan,” he said. “But lest anyone doubt my allegiance, home is where the heart is, and we have heart in Kansas City.”

Last year, Stern followed through on his challenge to the San Francisco Symphony, and wore a Hunter Pence jersey at the Symphony performance after the Royals lost to the Giants.

Something else to keep in mind: When the Symphony played the National Anthem at last year’s Game 6, the Royals won.

This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 11:14 AM with the headline "The Kansas City Symphony issues a World Series challenge to the New York Philharmonic."