Eagles Superbowl Win Has Been Great for Philly Economy

It turns out that having your home team win the biggest event in professional sports is awesome for more reasons than just bragging rights and free beer. The Philadelphia Eagles’ historic win against the New England Patriots in Superbowl LII has turned out to be a blockbuster for the city’s economy, from booked hotels to tons of swag purchases to a bump in food and beverage sales.

It’s been over a week since the Superbowl win, and Philadelphia fan shops cannot seem to keep Eagles merchandise in stock as triumphant fans grab it almost instantly when it hits the shelves. Nick Foles jerseys are particularly hard to come by, says Gabriella Block, assistant manager of the team store on Chestnut Street. Souvenir gear is a hot commodity, she says: “I would guess three times more than a normal week. We’ve been trying to get in as much inventory as possible to keep the excitement going. A lot of other stores have been sold out.”

Eagles fans have been cheerfully boosting the city’s economy since the Superbowl.

A trend seems to be that the most hardcore Eagles fans aren’t settling for simply one t-shirt or hat, but are stocking up on celebratory goodies by the armload. One fan interviewed by ABC6, Lavelle Hudson of Wynnfield, said: “I’ve bought four caps, I’ve bought a winter hat, I’ve bought three jerseys, a few hoodies, a few shirts. And I’m scouting out today too.”

Experts assessing the Philadelphia economy in the wake of the Superbowl say that the hospitality industry say big gains in the month approaching the game, with hotels and restaurants doing millions more in business than they did during the same time period last year. “The two playoff weekends, as well as the Super Bowl, equated to a 15% increase in hotel occupancy over the same period last year. And on that Sunday alone, for the Super Bowl, occupancy is going to be 61% versus 34% last year,” said Julie Coker of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.