There are often more than 66,000 people in attendance for a football game in Blacksburg when Lane Stadium is at its maximum capacity.
The number of customers walking into businesses over such weekends is much higher.
“Hokie football is crucial to our annual business,” Owner of the Clay Corner Inn Joshua Roseberry said.
According to him, the profits from football weekends go far further than many people imagine they would.
“That extra revenue is really spread out over an annual basis, so it’s crucial,” Roseberry said. “Sometimes that extra revenue in September pays the light bill in January.”
His company is still working toward recovering the money that was lost as a result of the pandemic, on top of the fact that they are simply trying to make it through the year.
“COVID took a heavy toll on a lot of small businesses that had to take out loans, pay bills, and survive during a very long pandemic, so there’s a hole to dig out of there,” Roseberry said.
In the city of Blacksburg, Mike Soriano is the owner of four distinct businesses.
He says that staff shortages are not a major concern at his restaurants coming into the football season; but, there are certain positions that need to be filled.
“Out of the four places, we probably have anywhere from 12 to 15 positions that we’re still looking to fill at all of them combined, but you’re generally understaffed in football season no matter what,” Soriano said. “We’re just going to have to work a little harder this season.”
During the football season, there are also more orders for catering in local restaurants.
“It’s great for tailgates, so people that are coming from out of town don’t have to stress about going to the grocery store making food maybe possibly in a hotel room,” Zeppoli’s Mariah Thompson said.
Restaurants are aware that this is not always the case, despite the fact that business is brisk on the six autumn Saturdays.
“There are as many slow weeks throughout the year as there are busy weeks of football season so they kind of they kind of balance out those slow ones,” Soriano said.
