The NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament began on Thursday in Springfield, with hockey fans from across the country flocking to Downtown Springfield. The influx of visitors has been a boon for local businesses, with bars, restaurants, and shops in the area seeing an increase in customers as fans headed to the arena for the games.
Bars and restaurants in Downtown Springfield have been enjoying the business brought by the NCAA hockey tournament. Signs in their windows have been inviting hockey fans in, with establishments like Theodore’s Blues, Booze, and Barbeque seeing fans from all four hockey programs dine in. Co-owner Keith Makarowski noted that tables were quickly filled after opening at 11 a.m., as fans got their pre-game meals.
The first night of tournament hockey was just the beginning, with more games scheduled for Saturday night at MassMutual Center. Michael Sacenti, a UMass fan who attended one of the games at MGM Hotel & Casino, mentioned how excited he was for the upcoming games and to see his fellow supporters come together to enjoy some great hockey action.
Co-owner Makarowski expressed excitement for the upcoming games and the support from fans of UMass and UMaine. He mentioned that local businesses were thrilled to see the community come together for NCAA hockey and were looking forward to continuing to provide great service to their customers during this exciting tournament finale on Saturday night.