Zach Malone of Greensburg (front left) was ready for the Penn State football game Saturday at Sports & Social in Hempfield's Live Casino Pittsburgh with his mom, Ashley Malone; dad, Mark Malone; sisters, Makenna Malone (back right) and Maddie Malone; and brother, Ian Malone.
For Western Pa. sports fans, Saturday's lineup of back-to-back Penn State and Steelers football games offered the athletics equivalent of the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon that left movie fanatics in a frenzy for the same-day release of films "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" last year.
Football fans filled seats and bar stools at Hempfield's Live Casino Pittsburgh on Saturday morning, anxiously awaiting the noon kickoff for Penn State's matchup against Southern Methodist University or grabbing lunch before the Steelers' faceoff against the Baltimore Ravens.
On a typical football Saturday, the casino's Sports & Social restaurant and bar sees about 80 people by lunchtime. But Saturday, the restaurant saw about 200 customers by Penn State's noon kickoff.
"We are totally booked for the rest of the day," said Rian Martin, who has worked as general manager of Sports & Social since the casino opened in 2020.
Successful seasons by Penn State and the Steelers have led to an increased turnout to the sports bar this fall, Martin said.
"As the season's been going on and the Steelers are winning more and more, people get more and more excited," he said, "and they come out and have more fun and love watching the games."
Mark Malone was confident the Nittany Lions would win.
"I think Penn State should win big," said Malone, of Greensburg. "Against SMU, they should win big, but we'll see."
Malone went to Sports & Social to watch the Penn State game with his wife and their four children. He and his son, Ian Malone, were less confident about the Steelers.
"Lamar (Jackson) can't beat the Steelers, but I don't know," Ian Malone said, referring to the Ravens' starting quarterback. "Our offense hasn't been the best recently, so I'm hoping (the Steelers) win, but we'll see."
To the Phillips family, of Hollidaysburg, all the stars aligned for a fun day in Allegheny County.
Saturday was daughter Aubree's 12th birthday, and the family always makes a trip to enjoy attractions like Oakmont Bakery and Zone 28 in Harmar. Making the trip were her mom, Amber; sister, Briella; brother, Nate, and his girlfriend, Maliah Malausky; friend Allie Damico; and grandmother Tina Weaver.
Nate Phillips, 14, enjoyed the idea of a Steelers-Penn State double-header while at the End Zone at Zone 28. He was confident in a Penn State win -- he said the team's defense was playing well -- and thought the Steelers would outlast the Ravens.
"I'll try my best to watch as much as I can," said Nate, who was wearing a Penn State hoodie.
The family watched the Penn State game from End Zone at lunchtime and planned on watching some of the Steelers game there as well.
Amber Phillips said she was glad the Steelers weren't playing a home game because that would have led to more traffic. She enjoys being in the area for games.
"It's more authentic in Pittsburgh," she said.
Zone 28 manager Alex Guntrum was expecting a busy day notwithstanding the football games. Saturday traditionally kicks off Zone 28's busiest season, when schools are closed for winter break. Holiday parties and get-togethers are more common in the last week of the year, he said.
If it weren't for Saturday's snow, he would have been even busier, Guntrum said.
"Everybody is off," he said. "We would have three times the crowd if not for the weather."
He said his staff starts planning for the peak season before Halloween. He estimates, on a busy Saturday, about 3,000 to 4,000 patrons at Zone 28.
Guntrum isn't concerned about staffing and managing the large crowds. Local teenagers work at Zone 28 for their first job, he said, and return to work during their holiday breaks from college. That's about seven or eight additional people available to work during the Christmas season.
"This time of year ... we need the help," he said. "It works out well."
Zach David of Greensburg can't remember the last time Penn State and the Steelers played on the same day.
"It's really interesting," said David, a business management student at Rollins College in Florida. "I've never really dealt with anything like that before, like two big games in one day -- two teams I love so much."
David inherited his love of Penn State from his father, John David, who attended the university. They make a point of watching football games together when David is home from school.
"I go to college in Florida, but whenever I'm back, like when I was back for Thanksgiving and then now for winter break, my dad and I, we go out and watch the games on Saturdays," he said. "We usually go to either Buffalo Wild Wings or here."
Rebekah Ostrosky of Greensburg was excited to watch the Steelers game with her family and neighbors. She is visiting home during winter break from the University of Findlay in Ohio.
"I actually think it's really fun," she said of watching the Steelers game during her birthday celebration. "It gives me a chance to bring all of my neighbors together and have fun with each other, which, coming home from college, I haven't done in a while, so it's going to be fun."