Not going to Pasadena? Here are a few spots to watch the Rose Bowl with Utes fans in Salt Lake
Local sports bars await many Utah football fans for the New Year’s game
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The University of Utah expects thousands of Utes fans in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl on Saturday. For those outside of California, Salt Lake City also has watch parties and pubs that expect large crowds.
The Brickyard Bar in Millcreek is usually packed with Utes fans on match days. Drinks flow. The food buzzes around on trays and reaches hungry guests. With every touchdown or basket from Utes, the cheers echo across the three floors of the sports bar.
But on Saturday afternoon it will be different. On Saturday afternoon, the University of Utah football team will play Ohio State in the school’s first-ever Rose Bowl appearance.
“It should probably be a record-breaking day of sales for us as we opened as the Brickyard Bar about three years ago,” said Laura Kelly, manager of the bar formerly known as Lumpy’s.
Many local sports bars prepare for larger than average crowds and higher revenue the day the Utes face the Buckeyes – from companies less known for their game day activities to those known as “Utes fan bars.” “are designated. Here are some places to meet with the Utah believers.
Brickyard Bar
3000 S. Highland Drive
The Black Sheep, which has two locations in West Jordan and Salt Lake City, usually sees large crowds on Utah soccer game days, as it does at the Brickyard Bar. But due to the severity of the utes in the Rose Bowl, both locations will be special events.
Black Sheep co-owner Samantha Hoffman said the brunch menu would extend into the afternoon. The SLC location in Foothill Village is giving away a Utes cooler. There will be balloons and giveaways of shirts and other swag. Fans have an opportunity to win bar gift cards by trying their luck on a soccer board.
Hoffman said both locations will be at full capacity, even with the extra tables the staff will add to accommodate the larger crowds. She suggests guests arrive as early as possible.
“We’re pretty busy at all of the Utes games,” said Hoffman. “This one is the Rose Bowl though, and how they started the season and got to where they are now, I think everyone is delighted.”
Hoffman also anticipates revenue will increase compared to a typical game day.
“We forecast 30% above a typical game,” she said.
Black Sheep Bar and Grill
Salt Lake City: 1400 S. Foothill
West Bank: 1520 W 9000 South
At Legends, manager Angie Pawlick said reservations are not being taken as she expects to be 100% booked on Saturday. She added that there will be raffles during the game that don’t take place on normal game days.
“I think only the Utes are in the Rose Bowl [it] will have a huge impact, ”said Pawlick. “I think it’s not just a normal game day, it’s just a bigger game for them, so it’s going to be a bigger game for us.”
Legends
677 p. 200 West
Even completely new companies are entering the Utes Game Day Experience business. The Flanker Kitchen and Sporting Club, which opened just three weeks ago, is hosting an official event using ESPN700 for the Rose Bowl. The Salt Lake City 21+ venue offers a one-of-a-kind experience with intimate seating in its sports club and plenty of entertainment like karaoke rooms and sports simulators.
The Rose Bowl will be the first Utes football event for flankers. There will be a special “Tailgate Menu” available at the sports club with a minimum of $ 250 for a table. The menu is also served in the restaurant and lounge areas that have no minimum expenditure. There is no nominal fee at Flanker.
“It’s basically a kind of energetic and intimate theater of sorts for anyone who wants to see the game,” said Steven Lockwood, director of marketing at Flanker.
Flanker Kitchen and Sporting Club
The Gateway, 6 N. Rio Grande St.
Sports bars and restaurants across the country struggled at the heart of the pandemic last year, when sports were canceled for months and stay-at-home orders became the norm. For most of 2021, schedules have mostly returned to normal and businesses have started to bounce back.
But with the recent spike in coronavirus cases across the country due to the Omicron variant, the sport is starting to be affected again. NBA players seem to miss games every day, two BYU basketball games have been postponed, and college football bowl games have been canceled. All public statements up to this point suggest that the Utes are doing everything possible to prevent their game from being canceled due to the coronavirus. But if the worst happens and the Rose Bowl doesn’t go ahead as planned, it will affect the local Salt Lake County’s sports bar scene.
Hoffman didn’t seem too concerned about this possibility, however.
“We’re not too concerned,” said Hoffman. “It’s better to plan for the best outcome and adjust it if it doesn’t happen. I would have pity on the players and fans of both teams. “
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