SYRACUSE, NY- The Carrier dome is home to Syracuse athletics and many events and concerts. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dome has had zero fans attend football games this season. Not only has no fans affected the 1-5 Syracuse football team, but also many local businesses. Varsity Pizza and Faegans Pub are two main game day attractions located on Marshall street and are a walking distance from campus.
The two have both experienced their fair share of loss in business because the Dome has not allowed fans. But local Businesses were not always struggling on game day like this, in fact, it was the exact opposite.
Erick Ockert, Varsity Pizza manager explained how busy the famous pizza spot gets. “The pizza line starts at one end in the building and curls around back, Ockert Said.
But now with no fans being allowed in the Dome for game days, it has not been the same on game day for these local businesses.
John Dellas has owned Faegans Pub, a local popular spot for 43 years, and has seen it at its worst in the past few months.
“ Because there are no games with 30,000-50,000 patrons, we don’t get the pre-game and post-game. It doesn’t exist anymore so monetarily it’s a huge hit,” Dellas said.
Local Businesses are hopeful that fans will be allowed to return to the dome for the upcoming basketball season and that business will improve soon to help stay afloat during a hard expected winter.