PHOENIX — "You can't see it, you can't hold it in your hand, but it's palpable,” said Matt Brennan, General Manager of Fibber Magees in Chandler.
“It's a physical energy that you can really feel when there's a big high-tension match like this going on,” he added.
On Friday, the Irish pub opened two hours early for the World Cup matches.
Brennan expects more revenue after Friday’s matchups with the World Cup and the Territorial Cup between ASU and UArizona.
Valley pubs are filling up for two big games today.
— Christine Stanwood (@stanwoodreports) November 25, 2022
First up, the #FIFAWorldCup #ENGvUSA match.
Then many will stick around for the Territorial Cup where @ASUFootball faces off against @ArizonaFBall.
How bars are seeing big revenue today, tonight on @abc15. pic.twitter.com/2TuuoBj1D1
Brennan says Black Fridays aren’t as busy for the pub, but Friday will help after the effects of the pandemic.
“The ghosts of the pandemic are still kind of around,” Brennan said. “It’s days like this that we get an opportunity to do a bit of catch-up.”
Inflation also factored in to keep the doors open. “We've had to, unfortunately, take some price increases over the last 18, 24 months,” Brennan said.
"A box of potatoes about eight weeks ago, cost a certain amount and then overnight they doubled,” Brennan said. “As an Irish pub, we go through a lot of potatoes. And something like that can have a real strong effect on the bottom lines.”
So even if it’s a draw, nailbiter, or blowout, bellies are full, cheers are loud, and the beer is flowing.
And that makes this a winning day for the pub.
