“This whole week has been crazy. There was a lot going on. We have prepared. Our entire staff has been working day in and day out to prepare for today,” said Linebacker Lounge bartender Vincent Frucci.

It’s been a busy week…leading up to the historic College Football Playoff game between Notre Dame and Indiana University, especially for companies hosting watch parties across the region.

Given the large crowd coming to South Bend for the game, these businesses had to make sure they were prepared for anything.

“We definitely have a few extra people on board, you know, we have everyone ready to go, we have our set schedule ready before the week even starts,” Frucci said.

“We have a really tight team, so we tried to put everyone on the right shifts to make sure that even during the ups and downs, we could handle the rush,” South Bend Brew Werks bartender Jason Rumfelt said .

All these preparations did not go unnoticed.

Fans of both teams filled the stores to capacity, creating what workers call an electric atmosphere.

“Fans on both sides are having an absolute blast. You know, just the best at the moment… I’ve never experienced anything like it and it’s really unique. I can’t describe it all,” said Frucci.

Some fans say the intrastate rivalry is very much alive, even though everyone has welcomed it.

“I’ve seen so many IU here, I feel like there’s a lot of IU reps here, so it’s going to be a good game, a good rivalry. “Oh yeah, there’s a lot of tension out there,” Notre Dame fan Megan Goralski said.

Fans and staff say they will never forget the experience.