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Ryder Cup, Vikings Monday Night Game Mean Big Business For Bars

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Ryder Cup may be over, but the vacation is still in full swing for some sports fans.

Early numbers suggest this year's Ryder Cup had around 250,000 fans. That's at least 10,000 more fans than the last one at Medinah Country Club near Chicago in 2012. Six days of golf just wasn't enough for some visiting sports fans.

It's not every Monday the Newsroom Bar in downtown Minneapolis is swimming with day drinkers.

"We had to wait to find somewhere to open so we could start drinking, we had no choice," Franklin Morrison said.

"Starting on Wednesday, we started seeing people and all weekend long. They love to eat, they love to watch their sports so it's been great,"  Newsroom Bar General Manager Brad Schwichtenberg said.

Some are in town for the Vikings game as Minnesota hosts the New York Giants for Monday Night Football.

"From New Jersey representing, here to support the Vikes on the big Monday night game," Dan Austin said.

Others are double dipping.

"Went to the Ryder Cup all day yesterday, it was fantastic, and planned this weekend around the Ryder Cup and the Viking game tonight," Rob Evans said. "Doing both!"

One event or two, these visitors all indulged and not just on booze.

"So none of us have looked at our credit card statements and we don't want to ever. So one of us is married, not me but him (and I hope she does not see the bill)," Morrison said.

"The city I think performed exceptionally well last week for the Ryder Cup," Scott Romane said.

Early numbers suggest it may have been the biggest Ryder Cup yet with an estimated $55 million in revenue. And a home Vikings game could mean $10 million extra.

"We couldn't have asked for a better post Ryder Cup event for those folks that might want to stick around for an extra few more days to impact a little bit more of the economy," Romane said.

It seems this week, USA golfers aren't the only walk-away winners.

Aside from the Vikings, who are also looking for a victory Monday night, hotel business has been gangbusters this weekend. One reason several fans said for being at tonight's game: They simply wanted to see for themselves this beautiful stadium.

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