The NBA playoffs have returned to Milwaukee and interest is through the roof for the Milwaukee Bucks right now. If you have been watching the Bucks this season you know this team is young, talented and very athletic, with the goal being championship caliber when new stadium is completed. The bucks returned home last night with the series tied at 1-1 with Toronto Raptors, they now lead the Raptors 2 games to 1, with game 4 in downtown Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon. All day yesterday you could feel a buzz in the city, even today after their resounding victory, you can feel the city alive. Tomorrow is going to be electric in downtown Milwaukee. But what is the impact of an NBA playoff game on a community? I did tweet to Visit Milwaukee but they did not have the numbers yet but when the NCAA March Madness games were in Milwaukee earlier this year, exceeded expectations and had a $6.6 million economic impact on Milwaukee. The impact a Bucks post-season run has on Milwaukee goes beyond financial.
It’s obvious that an NBA home playoff game has major benefits to a city financially. From ticket prices, which there are tickets on Ticketmaster for game 4 at the Bradley Center going for over $100 in the 400 level, to merchandise, parking, restaurants, and community pride, a city benefits all around. The city will even be showcased on newscasts, ESPN, TNT, etc as the playoffs continue if the Bucks keep winning, and that goes further in the long run for a city. People will remember those images on TV, will visit the Visit Milwaukee website and plan their next getaway to the area. Bringing those travelers in helps the community thrive and keeps our taxes down. Sports has many benefits on a community, but when it’s playoff time and a community receives these extra home games, the benefits are amplified.
Impact of NBA Playoff Games on a Community
Jobs
Part of the economic impact involves jobs. With an extra home games, that means the concession stands and stadium workers get more money, the parking attendants are employed another day, the waiter / waitress at a restaurant or bar can pick up more hours as people will be out dining and drinking, when there normally may not be extra hours available. More home playoff games will bring more people downtown, generate revenue for area business and put more money in workers hands.
City Pride
There is a certain togetherness, camaraderie that total strangers can achieve simply by virtue of living in the same city and rooting for the same team. The city comes together for one purpose. Buildings light up in team colors, newscasters where team colors, people around the city are wearing team apparel, and you can over hear strangers discuss the game at a local watering hole or diner.
Emotion
I know that this one sounds a little weird, but one of the most positive things about a sports team having success in a community, and it’s the pure, unadulterated joy that everyone feels. Sports are emotional, and they can ignite passion. Anytime you can bring out that extreme, raw emotional passion in people is a good thing. People around the city will be seen high-fiving each other, saying ‘Go Bucks Go!’ on the streets, and engaging in conversation with strangers. The city is alive and you can see and feel the positive vibes.
When watching the Bucks home playoff game or a playoff game in any community, it’s like Bon Jovi says in his song, ‘I love this Town‘, ‘I can feel the heart of the city poundin’ underneath my feet’. It’s an experience that the fans and community will never forget.
