The Milwaukee Brewers were feeling the love Sunday as fans watched, and then celebrated, the team's victory over the Colorado Rockies. As the Brewers advance to the National League Championship Series, Milwaukee sports bars also have reason to celebrate.
One of them is Buck Bradley’s Saloon and Eatery, a bar that shuttles Brewers fans to and from games. WUWM's Teran Powell stopped in to get an idea of how Brewer mania has impacted business.
Manager Jimbo Raskin says people already enjoy coming to the bar to watch their favorite teams. He says the excitement around the Brewers has only made business better.
“The Brewers playing the way they are, it’s exciting for everybody. They keep coming in, they want to watch it, it’s very good for everybody," Raskin says. "People are so fired up, especially at the end of the year when you’re in the playoffs.”
McGillycuddy's Bar and Grill on Water Street in downtown Milwaukee has also seen an uptick in business since the Brewers made the playoffs.
Justin Precord has been the manager there for about a year and says the bar has not only been a lot fuller this year, but he’s seen how different people come together during the games.
“You get people that come from the suburbs that are coming to the city now. They come, and they hang out, we have a lot of fun. We see our regulars a little more frequently than usual, and the new faces pop up too, so it’s always fun," Precord shares. "And I think you get a sense of comradery. Some people that might not usually talk to each other are now hanging out and they seem like best friends on the other side of the bar so that’s pretty cool too.”
The same can be said about the bar Who’s On Third. Manager Chris Norton says the Brewers had never been a major factor in the bar’s business before this year.
But lately, crowds like those on Packers game days are coming to watch the Brewers or take the shuttle to Miller Park. Norton says when a Milwaukee team is having a good season, it reflects well on the city.
“The reflection is king of the Milwaukee ethos. It’s work hard, play hard, do well. You know, Milwaukee teams in general don’t have a lot of money to throw around, so it’s people that have worked hard to get where they are, and now we’re celebrating how well they’re doing," he says.
Baseball fans in many cities get excited when their teams get in the playoffs, but here, the fact that it’s not that common likely contributes to the enthusiasm. It’s been seven years since the Brewers last made it to post-season play.
