With the OU football team playing its first away game of the season tonight, bars on Campus Corner will be less busy than an average home game week. Still, away games are important to different locations, such as O’Connell’s Irish Pub and Grille, which expect a crowd to gather to watch the game.
Charity Smith, a cocktail waitress who works at both the Campus Corner and Lindsey locations of O’Connell’s, says both bars tend to fill up on away game days as people come in for watch parties. Despite the increased crowds that filter through O’Connell’s during home games, Smith said there is not much increased revenue. The bar has to both pay for all the products they sell as well as for following ordinances of Campus Corner.
 |
Ben Towler, a bartender at O'Connell's Irish Pub and Grille, pours shots for customers. |
Home game days are mandatory workdays for all O’Connell’s employees. The bar even brings in staff members that have not worked at the bar in a while because the full staff is not enough. Ben Towler, a bartender at O’Connell’s, said that open to close, the bar is usually full. While there might be a down period every now and then, there are times that the doors have to be closed off because of the over-crowding. With crowds this large during home games, staff of O’Connell’s welcomes the break an away game provides.
“We love home games, but at the same time, they take a lot to prepare for. Think of the biggest sale ever that you could have in a department store, and that is kind of what a game day is, but it just takes so much time to prep then recover from it that we kind of need a business week off,” Smith said.
O’Connell’s will again have a break next week as the Sooners head to Dallas for the matchup against Texas before returning to play Iowa State in Norman on Oct. 16.
Chels,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, great shot! The light is a smudge bright on his hands, but other than that is a good shot. I love the backlight you got on the top of his head. Whether you were looking for this or not, you got it. Nice!
I really like the story too. The headline is bit on the cute side, but it works. Watch out, though, for your writing. Double check yourself when you write "again" or "it" or "even" to make sure the word is needed or clear. Also, make the connections in your story directly. I was lost as to reason why the home and away games make about the same amount of money. You imply the reason is because it is "all hands on deck" for home games. If that is the reason then make it clear in your writing. And double check your use of commas.
But, overall, good story, good picture, and great start!
julie