Sens fever may be fun for the city, but it’s also lucrative for local businesses, according to research by Moneris.
The credit and debit card processor crunched some numbers from the past week of Stanley Cup playoffs, looking at local spending trends.
The result was that during second-round home games, spending at Ottawa’s bars increased by 11 per cent compared with the same time last year.
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Bars and restaurants saw a similar trend during away games. In total, the series against New York saw spending increase by 11 per cent compared with last year.
“We do it all the time, for different events,” said Moneris spokesperson Jeff Guthrie. Moneris looked at spending habits in Ottawa’s general postal code area.
“Canadians love to gather in bars and restaurants to cheer on the home team; that’s a trend we see across the country,” he said.
Peter Abrahan, owner of the Sir John A Pub on Elgin Street, agrees.
“The biggest thing is everyone rallies behind them. Even if you’re not a sports fan, regulars who come in and never look at the screen are looking up and they’re curious. It brings everyone together,” he said.
“We’re busy regardless. We’re not dependent on it, but what it does is keep us at capacity earlier and longer. Even if you’re not a fan, you get into it.”
Ottawa rolled over the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 in Game 3 on Wednesday night and now sits two wins from an unlikely trip to the Stanley Cup final.
Game 4 is scheduled for Friday evening in Ottawa.
With a report by the Canadian Press. This article originally appeared in Metro News.
