MILWAUKEE — Basketball is back as the Milwaukee Bucks prepare for their home opener against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
And with the Bucks’ home opener looming, businesses in the Deer District are gearing up for an influx of customers coming through their doors.
Inside Fiserv Forum, the team is preparing to welcome fans back for the season.
“We are constantly improving the experience, whether it’s even down to new seats, bathroom fixtures, to our new menu, in a big way. This is exciting because you need to put a fresh coat of paint on the experience in a big way,” Milwaukee Bucks President Peter Feigin said.
Feigin said to prepare for this season, they have been using data to find out what food and drink people actually enjoy.
Outside the stadium, in the Deer District, they’re prepping for seasonal changes. Feigin said they will evolve with each season; in October, they have Halloween celebrations and in December, they’ll host the Milwaukee Christmas Tree.
“It’s kind of constantly creatively changing to make it a destination to make it family friendly. We certainly have options for people to eat and drink while they are here,” Feigin said.
Many of the businesses in the surrounding area said they’re looking forward to getting the season underway, including The Mecca Sports Bar and Grill.
“Basketball is really where we get the activity and action through, so there is a lot of activity expected here,” Milwaukee Bucks Chief Marketing Officer Dustin Godsey said.
Godsey said being in-season brings in more customers to the businesses in the area and after a few tough years through the pandemic, it’s something they look forward to.
“Knowing that we have regular events, we have people coming through here three or four times a week — that’s really big for the business in Deer District,” Godsey said.
This year, all businesses in the surrounding area are back open for the season. There’s even a new edition: a drink shop called “Fat Tuesday” that will be open for fans and customers.