CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — The big game with the Miller Bucs taking on the Veterans Memorial Eages attracted thousands of fans. The unofficial count was more than 12,000 people. The large crowds meant nearby businesses were hoping for a 'game day boost' from some of those fans.
The Texas Sports Bar on Leopard Street saw crowds so big, that many were standing outside.
Pablo Benavides knows the owner and says today was a big day for the business.
"God bless him. He deserves it," said Benavides. "He made a lot of money today."
Just down the road, Taqueria la Escondida also fed a lot of people who were hungry for food and football. Although the restaurant closed at 3 o'clock, staff there said a lot of Miller alumni and fans kicked off their day with a bite to eat.
Meanwhile, a boy scouts troop set up shop across from Buc Stadium. They were renting parking spots to football fanatics.
The police officers association let the scouts use their parking lot. They were asking for $10 a car, with 40 available parking spots. All of those proceeds went back into the boy scouts' troop.
"We're just being scouts, trying to get support from the public," said Bob McFarland, of Boy Scouts Troop 157. "We've been here since 8 o'clock this morning and cars are starting to come in and so we're glad."
But whether you were rooting for Miller or Veterans Memorial, the excitement around town was electric.
"(We're) enjoying the company, enjoying the crowd, enjoying family," said Gabe Rivas, a Miller Buc fan.
"It's very exciting. It's very explosive right now. It's a great thing for the community," said Benavides.
Not all the businesses were open on game day. Some were closed because of Black Friday and the Thanksgiving holiday.
