'Indoor tailgate party': U of L football fever has bars gearing up for record day Saturday

We know where about 60,000 football fans will be watching the sold-out University of Louisville vs. Notre Dame game on Saturday at L&N Stadium in a nationally televised prime-time game.

For those of us without tickets to the highly-anticipated match-up? Sports bars around Louisville are expecting to see you.

The Granville Pub on South 3rd Street is a go-to spot for U of L games, and Brian Finneran, the bar’s owner, is gearing up for busier-than-usual crowds on Saturday.

“We’re going to be packed,” Finneran told the Courier Journal. “The fans are excited and pumped up. They’re giving people something to cheer about.”

The Old Louisville establishment, which opened in 1939, will stream the 7:30 p.m. game on a 12-by-5-foot television. It will also offer game-day specials, including discounted buckets of beer and shots when the Cards score.

“We’re really close to campus and the stadium, so we expect to be at capacity during the game,” Finneran told th Courier Journal. “We’re going to have people swinging from the rafters.”

Rooster’s in Fern Creek will also have a full house, according to manager Ryan Harper.

The sports bar at 5338 Bardstown Road is outfitted with more than 30 TVs, which will be showing the U of L game as well as the Kentucky-Georgia game at 7 p.m.

“We’re looking at a record day,” Harper said. “We can hold a lot of people in our restaurant and we’re looking at maximum capacity.”

Rooster’s, which has a capacity of 280 people, is popular for games partly because the staff is made up of sports fans, too, said Harper.

“It will be a fun and busy atmosphere,” he said. “People will come in and see our staff is upbeat. We’re smiling, laughing and high-fiving each other.”

Louisville will likely feel a big effect from the big game around town, said Rosanne Mastin, communications & public affairs manager at Louisville Tourism.

“(The football game) definitely is a big draw, and depending on how much Notre Dame fans travel, hopefully, we’ll see a good influx of people,” Mastin told the Courier Journal.

The game coincides with another big event this weekend, the St. James Court Art Show, which typically draws more than 250,000 visitors over three days.

“You’ve got to figure the bars, the restaurants, the rideshare transportation, all of that will definitely see an influx of visitation for both of the major events going on,” said Mastin.

That includes at least one downtown hotel. Omni Louisville Hotel has recently seen a “significant increase in fans coming to Louisville,” according to Amy Mobley, the hotel’s marketing manager.

Fans will have more options on Saturday at Fourth Street Live, which will host a concert featuring singer Chase Matthews. The downtown area is usually closed off for such concerts, but gates will be open on Saturday for those looking to watch the game at bars such as The Sports & Social Club.

“Because it’s such a big game and knowing it’s sold, we want to provide that opportunity for people to come in and watch the game,” said Aaron Henry, marketing manager with Fourth Street Live. “I think there will be a lot of activity downtown.”

With a capacity of 200 people, The Sports & Social Club has 30 TVs and bar games, such as cornhole, pool and bowling.

“It’s kind of an indoor tailgate party,” Henry said. “We have one of the best atmospheres for sports watching. If you’re not in the stadium, we provide that feel.”

Reporter Rachel Smith contributed to this report. Reach Food and Dining reporter Amanda Hancock at ahancock@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville vs Notre Dame football: Sports bars plan for busy weekend