Fans who couldn't make it to Kansas City to watch KU and K-State Friday headed to the nearest, biggest TV they could find. For many that was their local sports bar which made for a busy day for those who work there.
March Madness means a lot of things when you work at a sports bar.
"It'll be fun. It's crazy. You get stressed out a little bit," said Halston Strange, who works as a waitress at The Fox and Hound.
"Everybody likes to come out, whether it's a local team or just the fact that it's a great excuse to take off from work early on a Friday and come watch some games," said General Manager Sean MacLachlan.
The NCAA Tournament is one of their busiest times of year and things get even crazier when all the home teams are playing.
"Yesterday we were out of cups, the back was struggling a lot," said Strange. "We had like seven pages of orders."
"Oh, it's huge!" said MacLachlan. "Yesterday, with Wichita State, packed the house all day long. Today, with K-State playing at 2:00 p.m. and KU playing this evening after 9:00 p.m., it's going to be the same way, all day long."
Despite the extra work those who spend their time serving the basketball fans enjoy the season, too.
"Everyone has fun," said Strange. "I mean, the atmosphere is loud and fun and it's a great experience for everyone."
Not to mention the extra money that comes with the craziness that is March Madness. Which is why, just like the rest of us fans, those who work through March Madness hope our local teams keep dancing for as long as they can.
But no matter how they do, at the Fox and Hound, they say they can rest on April 9th, the day after the last game is played.
A reminder, because of the numbers of fans wanting to watch the KU game, many sports bars are operating on a first come, first serve basis Friday night.
