FAYETTEVILLE — The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide is rolling into Fayetteville with its Heisman Trophy tailback, a fierce defense and dreams of winning back-to-back SEC and national titles.
The Arkansas Razorbacks, in the top 10 for the first time since 2006, are looking for revenge as well as titles and trophies of their own.
There was plenty of evidence Thursday that the clash between Alabama, a college football superpower, and upset-minded Arkansas was about to consume Fayetteville.
Hotels were starting to fill, Hog flags and banners were flying, and the bars on Dickson Street were stocking up on drinks, while on campus, academics were about to give way to the euphoria of fall football.
“If Arkansas wins, Dickson Street is going to erupt,” UA graduate and Fayetteville businessman Rolf Wilkin said of the city’s stretch of bars and restaurants where college students and fans go to party.
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Dickson Street has experienced a renaissance in the past few years, adding more upscale shops and places to eat. Many hotel rooms and restaurants have been added throughout Northwest Arkansas during the same time, all of which will be needed to satisfy the needs of those attending a big game like the one set for Saturday.
As expected, hotels in Fayetteville were almost full Thursday morning, with more than 95 percent reserved, said Allyson Twiggs Dyer, director of the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau. Available rooms in Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville are expected to become more and more scarce today, she said.
Because of the 2:30 p.m. kickoff, area restaurants are expected to have large crowds for both lunch and dinner, creating a mini-boom in business for the weekend.
Wilkin, owner of the local Eureka Pizza chain, agreed, saying big games mean big business.
“Everybody likes the fantasy of winning,” said Wilkin, referring to the jubilant vibe growing day by day in Fayetteville.
The sold-out game means tickets are for sale online, sometimes for more than face value. Early Thursday, eBay listed a ticket for $700, and on StubHub tickets were going for as much as $500 for a four-pack. However, by Thursday night StubHub was reporting no more tickets for sale. Tickets were also for sale online at Craigslist.
It’s almost certain that ticket scalpers will be working the campus Saturday, but they aren’t likely to get in trouble. The University of Arkansas Police Department will focus on traffic control and pedestrian safety, not ticket scalping, police spokesman Lt. Gary Crain said.
“We want to make sure everyone who wants to see the kickoff can get to their seats safely and enjoy the game,” Crain said. “[Ticket scalping] is at the lower end of what we’re worried about.”
Since last Saturday’s dramatic win over the Georgia Bulldogs, sales of Arkansas merchandise have been on the rise. Hawg Town, a sports apparel store near campus on Martin Luther King Boulevard, has seen brisk business this week.
“After we beat Georgia, people got into the buying mood and have been enthusiastic,” said owner David O’Dell.
He thinks Alabama will come out slow but still manage to score. Arkansas will fight its way back into the game at some point in the second half, and late in the game, kick a field goal and win by three, he predicted.
“I’ll take that,” he said with a smile.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 09/24/2010