The End of the NBA Lockout Excites Small Business Owners

Tis’ the season to be jolly… Not just because it’s the holiday season, but due to the fact the NBA lockout, which threatened to end the 2011-2012 season, is over. The cessation of NBA games has caused many, who depend on business from fan foot traffic, to inevitably lose their holiday spirit and try to strategize ways to recover from their losses.

While the season has been salvaged and will tip off this Christmas several entrepreneurs across the country have experienced a decrease in sales and attendance at their otherwise bustling bars and sports venues due to the inauspicious NBA lockout. Nonetheless, the 2011-2012 NBA season schedule has been announced and in addition to millions of fans, owners of restaurants, sports bars, and hotels, parking lot attendants, beer vendors, game night staff servers, ushers and countless more people whose income depends on the NBA’s action are elated at the news.

Peter Thomas, owner of the newly opened Bar One Lounge in Grant Park, Atlanta, GA and personality on Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta, was certainly disappointed that the NBA season did not begin on time. Not new to the restaurant business, he shared how his business has experienced losses of about 15-20% as a result. “Atlanta is a big sports town,” says Thomas, whose establishment is minutes away from the Phillips Arena where the Atlanta Hawks play. “I miss thousands of people who would be coming downtown on the nights that NBA games would usually be played.”

“The staying power is better with sports fans than if people were to just come in and have a meal,” he explains. “Instead of one or two drinks they will have three or four and eat a few things to level it off during a two-hour game. I feel bad for the hostesses and cooks, who are all affected, since they don’t get to work those extra hours.”

Michael Govan, owner of Kimball’s Carnival in Jack London Square, Oakland, CA, has also been hit hard. With nine televisions and 18 pool tables, Kimball’s is a popular choice for friends to come and catch a Warriors

or Clippers game when they’re not going to Oracle Arena. Though Govan is glad the football games still bring in large crowds three days each week, he says that basketball usually generates a healthy crowd to the cavernous venue on those nights when football is not being played.

“I’m thankful that the Raiders and the 49ers have been playing well, because now more people are coming out to watch the games,” he says. “I would have still had more people in if the Warriors were playing, though. I’m used to accommodating both basketball and football fans around this time of year, but now I cannot until after Christmas.”

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With Palace Grill being located four blocks away from Chicago’s United Airlines Arena, nights that would have been packed and cheering on Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls are just not there. Owner Peter Lemperis

had to tell his workers there would not be overtime until the Bulls started playing again. “It hit us hard,” he explains. “I installed three new 37-inch flat screen TV’s in expectation of the season starting on time.” Unfortunately, people will not be able to watch them until Christmas day when the abridged season starts. A fan himself, Lemperis is looking forward to the season beginning and being able to give his employees more work, especially in light of the country’s current economic state.

Though Wendy McLean, CEO and founder of Brooklyn, NY’s Denim Lounge, is not a typical sports fan; she has been anticipating hearing news of when the NBA lockout would end. “We usually have sports nights around the football and basketball games,” she says. “We kept it going for a while, but without the NBA to keep it consistent, we eventually stopped them altogether.”

As a result, McLean had to let go of two bartenders and a security

guard. However, she is enthusiastic about the season starting again at the end of the month. Though she usually closes the popular Bed-Stuy locale on Christmas day, she plans to have a large “Grand Opening” event to celebrate the NBA’s return.

Small business owners across the country share their concern for the economy overall. For many, the resolution of the NBA lockout does not just mean that fans get to watch their favorite players compete on the court once more, it’s an integral part of the financial puzzle for those entrepreneurs in the restaurant and bar business. Regardless of religion, they’re all looking forward to a very merry Christmas and profitable 2012 based on the return of their much-missed basketball-related income–as well as the players. “The only vice I have is that I’m addicted to sports,” says Thomas. “I never thought I would miss guys, but I’m a Kobe fan and I actually really want to see him play again.”