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by Zeakia Jordan
MIAMI VALLEY, Ohio (WKEF) — As Team USA prepared to take the field for its first World Cup match, local bars were getting ready for what they hope will be a surge of fans and a boost to business.
In the hours leading up to the match, the Troll Pub at the Wheelhouse was quiet as it waited for the World Cup rush. General manager Raychel Loney said the bar is ready for whoever comes through the doors, and that big events like the World Cup can be critical for keeping businesses going.
“Considering we're watching businesses closed on a weekly basis,” Loney said. “Being able to keep people coming in and say something attractive to your date and guests is vital to sort of keep us open.”
According to Loney, the business's patio was set to seat 58 customers to comfortably watch the match during the warm summer weather.
The Troll Pub was not the only spot preparing for a crowd. At The Pub at the Greene, staff were gearing up to host a watch party. Service manager Samantha Johnson said they were expecting a full house as soccer continues to grow in popularity.
“Being a, you know, a British pub, soccer's big in the UK. So a lot of people who come here are already British inspired themselves,” Johnson said. “I feel like it's always a huge deal. It's just even bigger, you know, a lot more excitement we're seeing about that.”
Staff members were dressed in jerseys as they leaned into the excitement around the match. Armani, a server at The Pub at the Greene, said the fun atmosphere helps carry them through a busy night.
“I feel like everybody likes to dress up and get into character,” Armani said. “We've had little spurts of people coming in, especially for the end of the British World Cup. That happened prior to this, but I don't know. We get our own jerseys and everything. We're just having a great time.”
Both locations said they have World Cup-themed specials, including soccer ball ice cubes at The Pub and massive mozzarella sticks at the Troll Pub.
Managers said they are looking forward to the energy the World Cup brings and hope a strong showing from Team USA will keep customers coming back throughout the tournament.
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