The Alabama Crimson Tide plays its first home game of the season this Saturday. Local business leaders are banking on the economic impact of the crowd that fills Bryant-Denny Stadium. The hospitality industry is hoping to fill local bars, restaurants, and hotels with sports fans in the coming months. Jim Page is the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama President. He says last year’s football crowds were limited by COVID, and this year should be better...
“That just improves the quality of life here for people that live in the Tuscaloosa area, you know, year round even when it’s not football season and so there’s a significant impact and it goes beyond those few Saturday’s when the football team is playing,” said Page.
No numbers are known for this year and last year’s economic revenue. But the average pre-COVID home football game brought Tuscaloosa twenty million dollars in economic revenue.
There’s also the morale boost football may mean to the area. Jim Page says tailgating privileges and full stadium capacities may bring a sense of normalcy among fans and more profit among public businesses.
“You know that’s what makes Alabama a special place, especially in Tuscaloosa, where one of our calling cards is having an exceptional college football environment with the best program in the country. So, we’re excited to bring fans back in.”
The University of Alabama green space called the “quad” was emptied last year of the white tailgating tents that typically accompany home football games.
