Where to watch- Michigan bars
Sorry for my dumb post MGoBoard. I’ll be out of the great state of Michigan for a couple weekends this fall. Halloween weekend I’ll be in New Orleans with a bunch of UMich and MSU grads. We’re all heavily invested in athletics and plan on watching the game. Just wondering the best bar to watch a game at in New Orleans. In November I’ll be In Naples with family (Michigan fans) for a weekend and was wondering if Naples has any Michigan bars?! Any help or guidance is appreciated! Go Blue!
There use to be a Michigan bar sticky but that feels like forever ago --- we could use a new version
Definitely need a new one of these! Started in 2009 definitely tells me some of these places are not Michigan bars anymore, more or less still open.
The Michigan Alumni Association has a list of Game-Watch Parties. Nothing listed yet but I'm sure the closer to September 4 we get, it'll be updated.
If you're in New Orleans for a Halloween weekend and your priority is to watch the Michigan Game Live and spend 4 hours in a sports bar, then dude that's just sad. Take a fire stick or watch the game in the morning while you're metabolizing a great time the night before.
It’s Michigan State for crying out loud! I will also be in New Orleans that weekend (I’m getting married!), and I am hoping for a noon kick that day (11:00 AM CT). Wedding is at 3:45, and I have refused all things wedding related between 11:00-3:00. Go out and party after, and let this man enjoy his Michigan football. I suggest you try to do the same!
Pre-pandemic, slightly out of date (~2 years). Quick googling shows the places still exist at least.
The "official" Michigan bar in New Orleans was kind of a lame scene. It may have changed places, doubt the atmosphere of the group could have vastly improved in this time. It was The Prytania Bar. Not really good for trying to go to with a large crowd and stick together, layout was like a diner with a giant island in the middle.
The Ohio State bar is the Mid City Yacht Club and it's actually pretty fun to be a rival fan at provided you know how to behave in public. If the Ohio State game is on obviously it will be the one on the speakers, but they were a pretty good bet to show any major Big Ten game with sound on provided OSU wasn't playing.
Other than that, Tracey's has open cafeteria-style seating and will show basically every game. Usually only get sound on for LSU games or Saturday night prime time, but if you have a large enough group and it's at a slow-ish time they may work with you.
Cooter Brown's Tavern is especially awesome for NFL game days, but they also show college games as well. Don't ever remembering it being overrun with LSU fans, but I'm sure that game would take priority if it is on.
There's a few others scattered around - Finn McCool's (EPL especially, but generally had sports on), The Bulldog (Multiple locations, it's just New Orleans Hop Cat), and I think a brewery or two actually did bother to put up TV's (Urban South maybe? Good beer at least, worth a stop even if not for the game).
[RIP The Blind Pelican, can't believe you got turned into a novelty store.]
Mid City Yacht Club, Tracey's, and Cooter Brown's would be my suggestions (in that order) if your intent is to go to a bar and primarily focus on the game. I'm sure there's places in the French Quarter but that's definitely not the scene I'm looking for if I want to watch a game. There's also chains like Walk-Ons and others, and if that's what you want Google will be all you need to find a place.
August 1st, 2021 at 10:15 PM ^
La Bodega de D10S near the corner of Via Cariati and Via Emanuele de Deo
For Naples, the UM Club of Southwest FL says the Brass Tap on Wiggins Pass, but that is now actually called the Naples Brewhouse.
https://alumni.umich.edu/communities-clubs/southwest-florida/game-watching/
The Brass Tap is a small chain throughout Florida, so I don't know if the local club will move to another Brass Tap location (maybe in Bonita Springs) or if the Naples Brewhouse will now be the host.