World Cup, NBA Finals Make For Big Day At Sports Bars

Today wasn’t just any day for sports bars in the Borderland. It’s turned into one of the biggest business days of the year!

Borderland bars and El Paso establishments were packed for fans watching Team Mexico beat France 2-0 in an important World Cup game.

And tonight, on ABC-7, it’s the Celtics and the Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, making it a dream day for area bars!

“It should be a very good thursday,” said Ted Aikman, owner of King’s X on Mesa. “Today it was Mexican soccer fans and tonight it’ll be the Laker lovers and the Laker haters!”

Which means a good day times two for his popular bar!

“It’s kind of like an extra friday for the week,” Aikman said.

Meanwhile, across town at Hiney’s in East El Paso, while serving one crowd, crew leader Christy Lankford said they were busy preparing for another.

“We had actually the budweiser guy come a little earlier and give us extra cases of beer,” she said. “We’ve got beers on ice, we’ve got beer in the fridge and we’ve got kegs everywhere … so it’s a little crazy.”

Lankford said she’s working both shifts, because she likes the tips.

“I’m doing both this game, then I’ll go home for about an hour or so and I’ll come back to work the Laker game tonight,” Lankford said.

Many fans of Team Mexico told us they will be back tonight as well.

“We’re going to celebrate all day,” fan Danny Astorga said. “Mexico and the Lakers!”

Then we met a guy wearing an Ireland jersey, who is just passing through El Paso with his wife on his way to Las Vegas. He wanted to catch both the soccer game and the basketball game before getting back on the road. He said the soccer flavor here is similar to his native Ireland.

“It’s so similar,” Kevin English said. “I was just speaking to my friends in Ireland and it’s like being in an Orish bar back home for the World Cup. The atmosphere is great, fantastic!

All making it a big day for bars in the Borderland.