DETROIT — The Detroit Lions’ surprising loss in last Saturday’s divisional round has left both the team and its fanbase shaken. However, another group feeling the effects of the defeat is the local bars and restaurants around Ford Field.
David Cowan of the Downtown Detroit Partnership shared with MLive that businesses in the area were expecting nearly $40 million in revenue per playoff game this postseason — double the $20 million per game seen during the 2024 playoff run.
Revenue projections for the Lions-Commanders game alone were set to exceed $64 million.
Although Detroiters may still visit these establishments this weekend, sales will likely fall short compared to what would have been expected had the Lions hosted the NFC Championship game at Ford Field for the first time in team history.
To understand the broader impact of the Lions’ loss to the Washington Commanders, MLive spoke with a variety of local businesses, including bars, restaurants, and retailers.
Parlay Detroit, a new sports bar at 1260 Washington Blvd. co-owned by former Lions running back Joique Bell, is uncertain about the exact financial impact. A representative stated, “The honest answer is we won’t know the full impact from the Lions (loss) until this weekend of games. We anticipate people will still come in to watch whatever game, but a true answer, we don’t know yet.”
Other businesses, such as District 78 and Detroit Vs. Everybody, have already begun to feel the effects of the Lions’ playoff success in recent years — and now, they’re experiencing the consequences of the loss.
Kenny Valentino, co-owner of District 78 located at 78 W. Adams St., described the typical flow of patrons during a Lions game, which he doesn’t expect to see this weekend.
“Normally, for a Lions home game at District 78, we see people in about three or four different waves. The first wave of people are usually your pre-gamers or tailgaters who are going to the game,” Valentino explained. “We normally fill up the restaurant and bar two hours before the game for those people, and our restaurant seats about 90. It’ll then clear out 10-20 minutes before the game starts, and then, by halftime, we’re usually full again.
“This season, we saw a lot of wins. When they win, we normally see another wave of people hanging out after the game celebrating those wins. So, I say all that to say our 90- to 100-person restaurant potentially sees two or three turnovers when the Lions are playing, plus an additional turnover when they win.”
Following last Saturday’s loss, Valentino estimates District 78 will miss out on at least $20,000 in sales.
Detroit Vs. Everybody (DVE), the local brand with a storefront at 44 W. Columbia St. and a significant online presence, has also felt a financial impact.
“Man, just put it like this: the moment they lost, or we knew they were losing the game, it was an extreme pivot for us and the company,” DVE CEO Sean Williams told MLive. “We had planned so much for that Lions run; we didn’t even consider them losing. Losing wasn’t even a consideration. It was like, ‘Okay, as soon as the game is over, we’re going to have this email blast go out to the customers.’
“We were prepared to get at least 10,000 orders. We just knew they were going to win. We had prepared for 10,000-plus orders. We had called our suppliers; we were wrapped up and ready to go. So when they lost, it was one of those things where it felt like we just got shot in the chest. It was like, ‘Oh.’ We had to do an immediate pivot, but it was devastating, to say the least.”
As the Lions kept winning, fans flocked to DVE’s store and website to purchase “Lions Vs. Everybody” hoodies and T-shirts, along with a newly released hoodie featuring the iconic headstand image made famous by Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Tracking sales projections, Williams estimates the lost opportunity could be around $100,000.
“And that’s just from one game or one moment in time. There were going to be other moments,” Williams said. “They win the game, and then some player during the week is going to say some quote in preparation for the NFC Championship game. So there would’ve been so many moments that the brand could’ve captured.
“That 10,000-plus orders or that hundred-thousand-dollar number could’ve easily been $500,000 or even a million. You never know. So, opportunity cost — I’m saying we’re at least at a hundred thousand dollars lost.”
Both Valentino and Williams emphasized that while the financial loss is significant, the deeper impact is the one felt by the community surrounding Ford Field and the Lions fanbase.
“I think, for me, at the end of the day, it’s all about the culture it’s creating. It’s about more than them just winning — it’s making people happier,” Valentino remarked. “It’s giving people hope in these crazy times we live in. It’s bringing all people together to celebrate the common ground of the Detroit Lions advancing. That’s what really fuels it all.
“Detroit’s not used to having a great football program, and I think that’s why fans were coming out in droves. They don’t know when this will happen again, so they want to be part of it.”
