Businesses benefitting from Louisville football's undefeated start to season

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- From the football field to the cash register, it's been a winning season for the University of Louisville football program and its fans.

Louisville is 6-0 and fresh off a victory over Notre Dame at L&N Stadium on Saturday in Jeff Brohm's first season as the team's head coach. While the wins have boosted momentum around the program, it has also sparked economic growth around the city.

Johnny Blair has been a season ticket holder for Louisville through good and bad times.

"This is our 22nd year that we've been season ticket holders," Blair said. "I think winning cures a lot of ills, obviously."

From the season-opening win against Georgia Tech to the upset over 10th-ranked Notre Dame at L&N Stadium, Louisville has found ways to win, week after week.

"Winning is also contagious," Blair said. "It's just like enthusiasm is contagious. Winning is contagious too."

The Cardinals aren't the only ones in Louisville winning this fall.

Don Justice is getting more and more calls on game day.

"Everybody and his brother is calling," Justice said. "Can you get me a parking spot? Can you get me tickets?"

Derrick Bolds, who manages a property across the street from the football stadium, has come up with his own game plan when Louisville plays.

"You just feel the difference from last year," Bolds said. "I wouldn't have thought that a coach could have made that much difference. I'm not really into sports, but the proof is in the pudding."

Lindsey Goodman, manager at JD Becker, said the retail shop has seen a lot of excitement, even before the season started.

"It has been really fun around here," Goodman said. "As soon as it was announced that Brohm was going to be coach, you could just feel everybody was excited to have somebody that was really going to bring the community together."

Brohm, a Louisville native who graduated from Trinity High School and UofL, has brought a welcomed family connection to the team.

"Jeff sort of brought that mentality into the program and into the city," Blair said. "And he's really made UofL football the city's program again."

After defeating Notre Dame and moving to No. 14 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, Louisville travels to Pittsburgh for an ACC road game on Saturday.

Louisville returns to L&N Stadium for a game against Duke on Oct. 28.

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Businesses benefitting from Louisville football's undefeated start to season