With Notre Dame done, South Bend bars look to IU-Alabama to bring crowds

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- College football’s quarterfinal round is underway, and Ohio State and Miami are facing off in the Cotton Bowl. But in northern Indiana, attention is shifting to Thursday’s Rose Bowl matchup between Indiana and Alabama.

South Bend has been quieter in recent days with Notre Dame students out for winter break. Exams wrapped up Dec. 18, and classes are set to resume Jan. 12. Business owners say that matters, because the student crowd and game-day traffic often help drive sales in late December and early January.

“It’s the place to be when there is a watch party, so we were very busy,” said Greg Delinski, former owner of Linebacker for 38 years. “The energy was unbelievable. The bar did well.”

Delinski said last year’s postseason run brought in big crowds, including people traveling from across Indiana for big games. This season, local bar owners say there are fewer watch parties bringing people out. That comes on top of the lost chance for a major home playoff weekend crowd. Still, business owners say there is a silver lining: a pocket of Indiana fans in the area, including students coming home for break.

“It’s a massive blow to the economy here in South Bend,” Delinski said. “But we still have kids from IU that come home for winter break, so they’ll be in here. I think we’re going to be busy enough so that people come out and get excited and watch the Rose Bowl.”

Indiana and Alabama are set to kick off at 4 p.m. Thursday in the Rose Bowl.