The fall season cancellation promises wallop businesses that are counting on these fall weekends to survive, and the economic impact is likely to be tens of millions in many small towns at the sprawling conference.
“We’re like many companies: we trust that the back-to-school and soccer seasons are really our big money-making months,” said Michael Weber, vice president of Weber’s Ann Arbor, Michigan boutique hotel.
For several decades, the downtown hotel has been full on autumn weekends. Fans from all over the world flock to the city to fill the largest stadium in the country and one of the most famous hotels in the region. For many, pre-game brunch and post-game dinner are a staple at Weber.
This week’s news that the Big Ten wouldn’t be playing football this fall wasn’t just a slap in the face. It hit companies and industries that had already been badly affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic this year. Many hoped that a busy football season could save the year financially. Hotels, bars, and restaurants – many of the businesses that thrive during college football season – are also many of the businesses hardest hit by the pandemic.
Weber’s was closed for a full month in the spring and is still operating on less than 50 percent of its normal sales.
“We were all hoping for a speedy recovery where everyone hopes to get back to normal,” said Weber. “This is just another reminder that we will not be returning to normal anytime soon.”
From Lincoln, Neb., To New Brunswick, NJ, businesses in the Big Ten cities that count on these Fall Saturdays are grappling with what it means to lose a full season, some preparing for the worst .
“It’s just devastating news,” said Fritz Smith, executive director of Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the tourism organization at State College, Pennsylvania, a town around Penn State University that swells on game days and temporarily becomes Pennsylvania’s third largest city. “I’ll be honest: there is real fear in the community and real concern about how some companies that rely on spending from visitors to the games will get through this. You’ve had a tough operating environment for five months now, and that’s another part of the table that’s getting kicked out. “
He estimates Penn State Football brings in more than $ 70 million in visitor spending each year. Penn State fans typically spend three nights in hotels, three days shopping in stores, and three nights eating. And this fall, they’ll all stay home.
“Hopefully there will be a spring season and everything will recover,” he said. “But it will be a bad fall to get there.”
In Madison, Wisconsin, every home game generates around $ 16 million for the local economy, according to Jason Ilstrup, president of Downtown Madison Inc. and some State Street retailers. Over 70 percent of their annual sales are related to events and tourism.
Ilstrup points out that not only business owners get a hit, but also the waiters and cooks in restaurants, the receptionists and housekeepers in hotels, the suppliers as well as the farmers and drivers who keep everything going. And in return, everyone has less money to put back into the local economy.
“Many places are already on the edge,” he said. “Your PPP funds are running out. You’re running out of solutions. Many have spun – restaurants offering more take-out or stores delivering things to customers – but it’s only a percentage of their normal sales, and it can’t last forever. “
In many university cities, the soccer team is a gathering point that brings the school, community and the entire state together. Nebraska has an AAA class baseball team in Omaha, but no other professional team. The Cornhuskers tie up the entire state and pull everyone together.
Even when the team is at home, on game days in downtown Lincoln, more than 5,000 people pack into the Railyard, the vast outdoor entertainment district, to watch games on the 14-by-40-foot screen. They buy drinks all weekend to celebrate victories, mourn losses, relive memories and create new ones.
“When the schedule was released last week, we thought it would be a big boost for downtown,” said Bill Hipsher, president of Hurrdat, who runs the railyard. “They had it all on the Big Ten Network and there was a lot of fanfare. We thought, “Okay, maybe there aren’t any fans in the stands, but it looked like a big win for the companies.” We thought people would like to get together and watch games together. “
And now, many companies are trying to see how to weather a cold winter, many with limited capacity, all hoping that a spring football season can be played safely.
“There are a few restaurants and bars downtown that will make the decision to close their doors in the next two weeks,” said Hipsher. “They fought with Covid and thought football could be the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s gone now. “
For many, the impact cannot be measured in general ledgers and bank statements. Many of the companies are family owned and their owners and employees are emotionally and financially dependent on the local soccer team.
In Iowa City, Jimmy Jacks Rib Shack has been producing game day meals and catering orders for tailgates on Saturdays for 15 years. Jack Piper, one of the owners, is sure to miss the business; but he will also miss football.
“The Emotional Side of Things: This is a big deal for Iowans and Iowa City. It’s a big blow from that point of view, ”he said. “We will do our best and hopefully break even. But we will all miss it. You see the same people every weekend, year after year. It’s part of the experience; it’s really.
“The game is definitely why everyone is here, but it’s all about the game that makes it special.”
