NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Local retailers like Sports Seasons in Nashville are stocking up on the two-toned blue.
“It’s really exciting as someone that has grown up watching Nashville sports. I’m just ready for that first championship to come back to Nashville," said Lindsey Becks, assistant e-commerce manager.
She said merchandise has been flying off the racks.
"But especially with them being the one seed we definitely have a lot of people like ‘you know I haven’t really watched the Titans before but they’re doing really well, they’re going to the playoffs so I’d love to come in and get some gear and go to a watch party.”
It’s those so called “bandwagon fans” that has the store bracing for more sales at all three of its locations in West Nashville, Murfreesboro, and the RiverGate Mall.
“Especially once we get closer to those games being at home, and people are going to go, there’s going to be large crowds there," Beck said. "I definitely think we’re going to have some people coming in here really excited about the game, getting geared up.”
But they’re not the only ones banking on Titans fever to spread.
“Tennessee’s eight sportsbooks hit a new record by logging $40 million bucks in cumulative gross revenue after paying out all the player winnings,” said Alec Cunningham, managing editor for PlayTenn.com.
Tennessee sportsbooks saw record-breaking revenues in November driven especially by football wagers. It was the third consecutive month of record revenues for sportsbooks in the state. It was also a record-breaking tax revenue totaling $5.9 million.
Now with sights set on a championship game, the stakes are higher and the pay-off could be greater.
“It’s a budding industry and we knew it was going to be, but we didn’t expect it to be so huge,” said Cunningham.
