49ers-Packers NFC Championship Likely To Help South Bay Businesses Score
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- The San Francisco 49ers announced Tuesday that the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers this Sunday has been sold out and that the team is on pace to set a new attendance record for a home game.
"This Sunday is going to be the epicenter of NFL football," said San Jose State University Adjunct Professor of Tourism David Andre. Last weekend's NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Vikings shattered the 49ers home game record as 71,649 fans filled Levi's Stadium.
Tickets for this Sunday's game are available on resale sites such as StubHub and are going for at least $300. Andre, who worked for Santa Clara's Visitor Bureau for nearly three decades, also helped bring the Super Bowl to Levi's Stadium in 2016.
"What's happening now is we're getting people from out of town coming into the city, and they are going to the tailgate even if they don't have a ticket to the game," he said.
Andre said the 49ers' record this year is not only paying off for the team, but it's also paying off for the South Bay's hotels, restaurants, bars and even transportation, including airline companies.
"California's Great America's closed right now, so if there's no playoff game in Santa Clara, and there's no big conference in town, who is going to fill up these hotels?" said Andre.
Sonny Walters, the general manager and owner of Britannia Arms, said even businesses in San Jose like his bar are feeling the economic impact of Levi's Stadium and the Niners' progression into the season.
"It's a fantastic area, it's turned out really well for sports," Walters said. "Fortunate being this close to Levi, during game days we do see the incremental business, it could be three fold sometimes, if they win it could be four or five times a normal day."
Walters said on a 49ers regular season game day, Britannia Arms can be packed with up to 400 people. When the teams wins, however, the number shoots up to 600 customers.
It's a score off-the-field for South Bay businesses as the team tries to score on-the-field.
"A victory this Sunday puts the 49ers in the Super Bowl," said Andre. "These businesses love it."