Part of a mural at Tampa Bay History Center Photo by Alexis Boucher
It was shaping up to be a great night here in Tampa. The Lightning were on the road in Montreal, but I planned on getting together with friends to watch the game at Brickhouse Tavern & Tap. We have been to this bar many times over the last year. We were there during every road game of the 2011 playoffs. The team themselves have even hosted numerous “official” watch parties.
A few of my friends arrived before I did and specifically asked the hostess if we could have the tv by our table changed to the hockey game when it started. There was an NFL game going on between the Texans and the Bengals, but we were told it wasn’t a problem. We were at a booth in the far corner of the restaurant and the tv hanging above us was obscured from the other patrons’ view by a hanging lamp.
Five minutes before puck drop, we call our waitress over and ask for the channel to be changed. It is and we’re all set for a fun night out. Before the broadcast can even begin, the channel is changed back to football. We are told that by a manager that they can’t change one of the televisions because the majority of the people in the bar want to watch football.
Even though we are regular customers that he recognized, even though there are at least 25 other screens in the bar. We’re told they “might” be able to put on the hockey game after football ends, but it will have to be changed back before the next game starts. We ask for our checks, pay, and promptly leave.
In short, we were unable to watch a Tampa team’s away game in a Tampa establishment. I’m calling it what it is: Hockey Discrimination.
If the Buccaneers or Rays were on the road, I guarantee that their games would be all over every sports bar across the Bay area. I understand that hockey isn’t as popular as baseball or football in the United States. What I don’t understand is the unwillingness to be flexible for loyal patrons who have spent a significant amount of money in their establishment. Flexibility that would allow fans to watch a hometown team.
I have had no problems with Brickhouse until tonight. The food is great and the service has been good. Unfortunately, they have lost my business. They have lost my hockey friends’ business. I have also spread the word around the Twitterverse and Facebook.
One person might not be able to do much, but I plan on taking my patronage to bars that are hockey friendly. I suggest you do the same. My money is just as green as an NFL fan’s and so is yours. What bars do you attend to watch Lightning road games? I’ll join you there from now on.
That’s terrible! I was lucky enough to be at a bar in NY on Saturday night that acquiesced my friends’ requests to change not only one tv to an NHL game, but another one to the Nuggets NBA game. We were lucky, but that didn’t stop jerks who (despite not having a clear view to these TV sets and the fact that ALL the TVs closest to them were on NFL) were outspoken and rude about single TVs being changed to something besides the Saints game.
Oy. NHL fans might not be mighty in numbers, but by discriminating against them it will surely hurt some establishments!
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In Sarasota we go the Ale House or Buffalo Wild Wings. They put on whatever game we want, sometimes we even watch two or three hockey games at the same time. I will definitely keep it in mind if we are ever in Tampa for a watch party to not go to Brickhouse.
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That’s upsetting. The lightning has brought that establishment an awful lot of business. I almost feel like it should be brought to the teams attention.
It’s been a good time in the past, but after that I certainly am right there with you in not visiting again.
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I tweeted the team and I’ll also be emailing them. I have also contacted corporate.
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One thing I still like about Atlanta is having a chain of sports bars, Taco Mac, that will definitely change a TV for you..hell, one time they had THREE TVs on a Canadiens game for me. Good luck in the future, Buffalo Wild Wings sounds like a good suggestion too. I’ve seen hockey on TVs there in a city that I thought would have nothing to do with hockey!
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I’ve had a few people share a few locations that are pro-hockey so I’ll definitely be checking them out.
Football will be over soon and baseball is a few months away. Hockey will be the only sport in town for a while, so they really should have considered this.
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Sorry to hear about your experience. Someone is very shortsighted.
We’ve had great luck with Beef O Brady’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, at numerous locations around town. However, we usually go to those in the Brandon area. They’re great and welcome hockey fans.
Still looking for the good luck spot that brings road wins! Come join us for the next away game!
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I just really wish we hadn’t been promised the game would be turned on and then told that it couldn’t happen. That was the whole reason we stayed.
I boggles my mind that not 1 television could be changed. We offered to move to a table where our hockey wouldn’t inconvenience anyone, but apparently that wasn’t good enough.
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…that’s not fair at all. You’d think a regular customer like yourself could expect a little courtesy. I just don’t understand.
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It’s equally puzzling because the team themselves have held watch parties there! That tends to make one think that it’s a hockey friendly bar.
I won’t be going back there and I have already spread the word to my fellow hockey fans. We’ll take our business to places that support hockey ALL the time and not just when they’re getting a kick back.
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