LUBBOCK, Texas — The fall college track and field season is back and Texas Tech football and volleyball are already underway.
This Saturday, the bright lights will come on at Jones AT&T Stadium, and students and fans will flock to it.
On Wednesday, Red Raider fans bested Oklahoma University fans in a FOX College Football Twitter poll for best fan base.
Senior Associate Athletics Director, Robert Giovannetti, describes Tech Athletics’ return as an economic engine – powering businesses in the city and hiring nearly 1,000 people to work on game days.
“The Lubbock community thrives when Texas Tech is here,” Giovannetti said. “Athletics brings us all together. I know of course it’s great for the community when you look at the impact on restaurants, hotels, just different businesses, not just on campus but across the city.”
Giovannetti said the football stadium hasn’t been that crowded in recent years but he hopes 2022 will see full houses at all games.
“We think the fans and community are really ready to go back to normal and prepare for football to become part of their routine in the fall,” said Giovannetti.
John Osborne is President and CEO of the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance. He said the combination of students and college athletics returning is having a big impact on the local economy.
“There are people staying here, going to the games, eating out, shopping, and it all creates a tremendous impact on our community,” Osborne said. “Not only with our hoteliers and restaurants, but especially with the collection of property and sales tax.”
Osborne said the fans constantly looking forward to the start of the season will only fuel the local economy further.
“They meet at parties, they meet at the tailgate, they eat before the events happen, they eat after the events,” Osborne said. “All that excitement also generates a lot of sales, which then also adds to the impact of these events.”
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