Here’s Why the Texas Tech Football Hype Is Good for Everyone in the Hub City

I’ve said forever that while I’m not a football fanatic, I am a big fan of the positive vibe it brings to town. And right now, that Texas Tech vibe is absolutely on ten.

With a possible Big 12 Championship appearance and—if the stars align—a spot in the expanded college football playoffs, the energy around the Hub City is buzzing like never before.

The Big 12 Championship is scheduled for December 6th in Arlington. Sure, it’s considered a “neutral” site, but anyone with a map and a pulse knows BYU—likely Tech’s opponent—won’t think anything in Texas is neutral. And yes, playing in the Big 12 title game is big, but playing in a playoff game? That’s a whole different universe.

Here’s where things get really interesting: the college football playoff format gives home-field advantage to the higher-ranked team. Current predictions have Texas Tech hosting the University of Miami right here in Lubbock at Jones AT&T Stadium. If you can’t see the cartoon dollar signs popping into the eyes of local businesses, don’t worry—everyone else can.

Because it’s not just 60,000 people filling the seats. It’s hotels selling out. It’s restaurants packed shoulder-to-shoulder. It’s bars, shops, museums, attractions, coffee shops, Uber drivers, and merch tables. It’s TV crews, alumni, Miami fans, neutral fans, and everybody else who wants to witness something historic.

Why Local Businesses Should Root Hard for Texas Tech

People laugh when “tourism” and “Lubbock” show up in the same sentence, but a playoff game is tourism—just wrapped in scarlet and black. That money doesn’t just appear; it circulates. It goes into paychecks, tips, supply orders, vendors, utilities, taxes, and the countless small businesses that make up this city’s backbone.

Read More: How Texas Tech's Rankings Shifted Ahead Of Key Matchups

So even if I’m only checking in on the game every now and then, I’m still a big fan of what this season means for the community. I’m grateful for the excitement, the pride, and the economic boom that a championship run brings to the Hub City.