Even though the Ohio University Men’s Basketball team didn't make the NCAA tournament, students and residents are still hyped for March Madness at the bars.
Even though the Ohio University Men’s Basketball team failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament this spring, students and residents are still hyped for the postseason, otherwise known as March Madness.
For many, it’s the most exciting sporting event of the entire year, and people have been trekking Uptown to witness the excitement and frantically monitor their brackets at the bars.
Anna Onderisin, a sophomore studying applied nutrition, said she went to the bars for every March Madness game so far this season.
“I went to The Crystal because they have a lot of TVs and a lot of people to hype the games up,” she said. "There’s not many places to go other than bars that have a sports environment.”
Mac Garvey, an undecided freshman, said the bars on Court Street are the best way to enjoy March Madness.
“The atmosphere is just intense," Garvey said. "Everyone’s so focused on the games.”
Vince Luth, a sophomore studying business management, said the juxtaposition between March Madness fans and other bar patrons is amusing.
“There’s people that don’t care about March Madness who are just dancing and having a good time, and they’ll be other people just staring at TVs,” Luth said.
Dennis Allen, the kitchen manager at Lucky’s Sports Tavern, 11 N. Court St., said the ambiance of springtime basketball in a college town causes a lot of excitement and drives a lot of foot traffic to the bars.
“You’re at a time where football’s over, baseball isn’t here yet,” Allen said. “Having that college March Madness atmosphere really improves sales.”
Allen also said the afternoon games brings in a lot of daytime customers.
“You see people coming in a lot earlier and day drinking,” he said. “People don’t realize how much business that brings in.”
John Davis, a senior studying communication and journalism and a manager at The Pigskin Bar and Grille, 38 N. Court St., also said March Madness boosts afternoon sales.
“It’s much busier when there’s basketball, even when it’s not their favorite team,” Davis said. “It gives them an excuse to come out to the bar in the afternoon.”
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Kelly Gurren, a senior studying communication and a server at Broney’s Alumni Grill, 7 W. Carpenter St., said she expects a huge crowd for the championship game on April 4.
“For the championship game, we’ll be bumping,” she said.
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