(WKYT) – The excitement surrounding Kentucky football’s overtime win over LSU is continuing to bring a buzz to Lexington, with local businesses seeing a boost and longtime observers pointing to opportunities for the university beyond the football field.
The Wildcats’ win has put Kentucky in the national spotlight. Dick Gabriel, host of The Big Blue Insider who has covered Kentucky games for more than 50 years, said the attention surrounding the team is unlike anything he has seen before.
“I think it’s gotten more juice than it’s ever gotten before,” Gabriel said. “They are one of, if not the hottest story in college football right now.”
Gabriel said the impact of Kentucky’s success could extend well beyond the football program. Increased attention could translate into merchandise sales, greater interest in enrollment and recruiting opportunities across the university’s athletic programs.
“Recruits have got to be thinking to themselves, ‘I might want to be a part of that,’” Gabriel said.
There is precedent for that kind of impact. Gabriel recalled that after Kentucky beat top-ranked LSU at home in 2007, baseball recruits called the university to commit. He said the current attention could create similar opportunities for other sports and prospective students.
“There’s an old saying that universities exist for academia, but athletics can be the front porch,” Gabriel said. “Well, the front porch has never looked better for Kentucky football.”
Lexington businesses feel the excitement
The Wildcats’ success is also translating into activity for local businesses.
Clay Caudill, general manager of Walk-On’s Bistreaux, said sales have been stronger than expected during a time of year when business would typically begin to slow down.
Caudill said sales over the Friday-through-Sunday period following the latest big game were up compared with previous weekends, including the weekend of Kentucky’s game against Alabama.
At The Kentucky Shop, owner Rick Paynter said demand for Wildcats merchandise surged following the upset.
Among the popular designs are shirts reading “Nightmare on State Street” and “Too Legit to Quit.”
“We’ve sold a few hundred shirts so far this morning, so if that gives you any idea,” Paynter said.
With Kentucky ranked No. 15 in the latest Associated Press poll, fans are increasingly looking ahead to what the rest of the season could bring.
For Lexington, the excitement is already being felt beyond Kroger Field — from merchandise shops to restaurants and the university’s broader recruiting potential.
