TAMPA, Fla. — The Stanley Cup playoffs are bringing more than just excitement to downtown Tampa — they're bringing a significant boost to local businesses.
When the Lightning are on the road, the team sponsors watch parties. When they're home, fans pack Thunder Alley. But the business impact goes beyond that. It trickles down to local sports bars throughout the area.
Top Shelf Sports Lounge is one of those businesses cashing in on playoff hockey. Owner Joe Boyd says the games make a measurable difference for his staff and his bottom line.
"It's massive. I mean, it's massive for us, it's massive for our staff. I mean, a game day is, you know, 2 to 3 times the revenue that that day would have been without that game," Boyd said.
Top Shelf has only been open two years, and in both of those years, the Lightning have played deep into the postseason — bringing extra revenue to the bar and its employees.
Boyd is also a die-hard Lightning fan, but with a Game 7 on the line, he said the stakes feel even higher when you also own a business riding on the outcome.
"My girlfriend has joked in the past, asking me if I sports bet. I'm like, no, there's absolutely no need. There's plenty riding on this game already," Boyd said.
This story was reported on air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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