The term ‘blackout’ is usually not one that bar owners like to hear, but when referencing tonight’s game against Temple, the term might mean a boost in business.
While Ohio Athletics expects to reap the benefits of its first home football game ever televised on ESPN, Uptown establishments are hoping to cash in on the game touted as a ‘blackout’ as well.
Tracy Turner, general manager at Buffalo Wild Wings, 23 W. Union St., said she expects an attendance spike before, during and after the game.
“Usually when the game is during the week, we get the dinner crowd before the game,” Turner said. “We do get some people after the game, but for the most part it’s usually in the evenings before.”
Turner said the bar’s TV package allows it to show every Ohio football game, but bigger games definitely bring in larger crowds.
Broney’s Alumni Grill manager Nick Wendt said the bar, 7 W. Carpenter St., will have weeknight burger and drink specials to help attract an audience.
“I assume we will be full during the game with a lot of people out,” Wendt said. “Uptown will be busy, so we’re always going to have a bigger crowd.”
When the Bobcats debuted the black jerseys against Marshall Sept. 17, Uptown bars filled as Ohio fans watched the Bobcats defeat the Thundering Herd in dominating fashion.
Both Turner and Wendt said that game drew the biggest crowd in recent memory.
“It was a bigger game, and we had this entire place packed,” Wendt said. “We had at least 50 people here.”
While Turner and Wendt hope the game will boost weeknight attendance, specials at Courtside Pizza and Lucky’s Sports Tavern regularly bring in large Wednesday night crowds.
“We’re a pretty good OU bar, but Slice Night is pretty popular, so I don’t expect the game will affect us too much,” said Cory Evans, manager at Courtside, 85 N. Court St.
Tonight’s game is the first of four consecutive Ohio games that will be televised on ESPN’s family of networks.
The Bobcats’ midweek games at Central Michigan and Bowling Green will be broadcast on either ESPN2 or ESPNU before the season finale against Miami at Peden Stadium airs on ESPN2.
Although tonight’s game will mark the first time the Bobcats are televised on an ESPN network this season, Ohio and Temple are used to playing each other in the national spotlight.
Since Temple joined the Mid-American Conference in 2007, tonight’s game will be the fourth consecutive contest between the Bobcats and Owls that will be shown on an ESPN network.
Ohio defeated Temple on ESPN2 last season and on ESPNU in 2009, while the Owls bested the Bobcats on ESPN2 in 2008.
ro137807@ohiou.edu
