South Bend businesses feel the loss after record breaking CFP revenue last year

SOUTH BEND, Ind.— Last year, was record breaking for the regional economy, and local businesses are bummed to be on the sidelines of the College Football Playoff this year, but even more so for the players, and staff.

“We’ve had an incredible year, but it’s highly unlikely for anything even remotely close to what it was and we had CFP here last year,” said Jeff Jarnecke, executive director of Visit South Bend Mishawaka.

Visit South Bend Mishawaka shared its heartbreak for both Notre Dame and the local economy.

Last year’s December 19 home game against Indiana University, along with watch parties for the following CFP games, turned the typically slow winter season into the busiest yet for local bars and hotels that many described as a Christmas bonus.

Hotel occupancy jumped from the low thirties to nearly 86 percent, and revenue that weekend jumped nearly 400 percent compared to the year before.

Nothing can replace the scale of 80,000 fans filling Notre Dame Stadium as home games usually pump more than 36 million dollars into the region. Without a home team playoff run this year, some businesses are shifting some focus to another home state team, Indiana University in the postseason. That includes Joe Mittiga, the owner of Corby’s Irish Pub and an IU Bloomington alum.

“Corbys is all about Notre Dame first so bummed out that they’re not there but looking at the Big Ten championship game big win for IU on that one something that’s never happened so we’re all in for IU over here for sure,” Mittiga said.

There is hope that a deep IU run can get people out during this cold winter lull for watch parties to lessen the loss.