Inside a bustling Fells Point pub, patrons were itching for a World Cup draw to begin, which would determine their team’s chances at hoisting the famous trophy next summer. Slick streets and snow did not deter loyal supporters from arriving at a festively decorated Sliante, an Irish-themed est ablishment, in the middle of a workday in December. Many, including the bartenders, held out hope that Ireland would reach the tournament and ultimately be placed into a group they could win. Dedication to teams, across sports, drives patrons to bars in Baltimore at all hours, helping the restaurant industry survive. Cultivating the right mix of patrons, sports offerings and food and drink can make the difference between profit and paucity, and pubs, restaurants and bars work hard to maximize their desirability to team supporters. Sliante often opens its doors at 7 a.m. for English Premier League soccer games being played several time zones away. “People flock in here. It’s a really good community,” said Benjamin Balasteri, Sliante’s acting general manager. “Two people tell two people, and then all of a sudden you’re looking at a full bar.” The power of sporting events is evident; a look around the pub at 12 p.m. on a Friday would have you thinking it was Saturday night in Federal Hill. “It’s a snowy day, and normally it would be dead,” said Balasteri. “But they’re doing the group selection, so it’s a full bar and tables.” Originally, the early opening time that helps soccer fans watch European games was intended to serve a different crowd. “Our owner wanted to have a breakfast spot for first responders. So, either late-night nurses getting off, firemen, and EMS drivers, it was a really big early crowd,” Balasteri said, “Once we did that, we were starting to see a little bit of business, and it was the perfect opportunity to open up for the early soccer games.” The early hours are paying off. “I would say without soccer, this place would really struggle to stay afloat, honestly,” the manager said. “We’re able to employ at least 15 to 20 people for 40-hour work weeks every week, and bartenders get to make some money as well.” World Cup will be a draw Across town at Alonso’s on Cold Spring Lane, the hopes of increased business in tandem with the World Cup are rising. “We will get a lot of business from that,” said Elaine Stevens, general manager of Alonso’s. The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is projecting that the 2025 and 2026 World Cup matches will add $62 billion to the global economy, and predicts that 290,000 jobs will be created in the U.S. through FIFA flagship events During the 2022 World Cup, an industry survey of 130 bars in New York City showed 75% reporting an increase of revenue, an experience likely shared by many major cities. Baltimore missed out on the biggest financial benefit though: FIFA snubbed the Baltimore-Washington region’s bid to host a World Cup match in 2026. The nearest host cities for the 2026 tournament will be Philadelphia, Boston, and New York/New Jersey. To be sure, NFL games are just as big a draw for bars and restaurants in Baltimore, even when the hometown team is falling short of expectations. During a visit last year to Alonso’s, patrons were visibly disgruntled with the Baltimore Ravens falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-22, pushing them further away from the division title. But even though the patrons were disgusted, “they still come,” Stevens said. And the Baltimore Orioles disappointing season had the bar seeing fewer people on gamedays. “We saw more people last year when they were more consistent and in the playoffs,” Stevens said. “People were getting really frustrated by the [Orioles] since it’s such a long season, and they stopped, they just stopped watching.” Stevens also noted that the bar sees an uptick in patrons from Loyola University Maryland during Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, and New York Jets games. Switching between stations becomes frequent. “I feel like I work for a TV station, sports is such a big part of the bar business,” she said. Pickett Brewing Company at 1130 S. Paca St. in Pigtown. For Pickett Brewing Company on South Paca Street, two blocks from MT Bank Stadium, the connection to the Ravens and Orioles comes through game-day proximity. “We have huge tailgates for the Ravens…so like for a 1 o’clock Sunday Ravens game we open at 10, get a huge pregame and then have people pop by afterwards and have a couple of beers,” said Kate Conway, a co-owner. The Army-Navy game also generated foot traffic at Pickett, being veteran owned, the event was a special one for the brewery. “We were supposed to open at 11, but we had a line at the door at 9:30, so we swung open the doors and we have a taproom full of people here at 11 o’clock already,” she said. However, business is still impacted by the performance of the two Baltimore teams, when Ravens and Orioles attendance dip, their foot traffic dips. Conway offered some hope for the next Orioles season to help out the brewery. “We’re hoping attendance grows with Pete Alonso coming and hopefully they will have a winning season and make it to October this year,” she said. “When they did make it to October and we had postseason baseball in Baltimore, those were great days as well.” Conway also noted that the Ravens get more attendance and that when the team was struggling earlier this year, their attendance fell, which impacted Pickett. As the Ravens season wound down in ugly, bars across Baltimore could only hope for a resurgence under new coaching leadership next year. Their profits might depend on it. ‘Business of Sports’ is a series produced as a senior capstone project by the Loyola University Maryland Department of Communication.s and Media, under the supervision of April Newton. ...read more read less