• Home
  • About PubClub.com Nightlife Pubs And Clubs Website
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

PubClub

Where The World Goes To Party!

Take A Look At The Sad Scene Of The San Diego Gaslamp Sports Bars

November 29, 2020 by kevinwilkerson Leave a Comment

COVID-19 Restrictions & Outdoor Dining Only Keeping Loyal Fans Home

San Diego Gaslamp sports bars COVID-19 empty Bootlegger
A few Alabama fans sit outside at Bootlegger, a spirited Bama bar nicknamed “Tuscaloosa West.” Photo: PubClub.com




By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com San Diego Nightlife Blogger

Sunday mornings and afternoons during fall football season are normally buzzing in San Diego’s Gaslamp.

Fans wearing team jerseys and shirts gather with other transplants at specific venues and there is a buzz one can just feel by waking down Fifth Ave., and other streets.

But there is no buzz now. That’s because there are no fans. The sports bars are deserted. Instead of seeing people file out on the streets after a game, you’re more likely to see tumbleweeds.

San Diego Gaslamp sports bars COVID-19 empty Whiskey Girl
A lone table of San Francisco 49ers fans sit outside Whiskey Girl on a very quiet NFL Sunday in the San Diego Gaslamp. Photo: PubClub.com

It’s a sad sight, seeing so many empty sports bars that are normally crowded with NFL fans on Sunday. And college football alumni on Saturdays.

There are no fans because COVID-19 restrictions are keeping them home. With very limited capacity due to the outdoor-seating-only policy set forth by the county based on the state’s purple tier guidelines, there’s not enough room to accommodate those regular customers.

And with no indoor activity allowed – one of the biggest attractions of fans gathering at sports bars is to be crowded together with fellow fans – it’s simply not as much fun to be there as it is during normal times.

San Diego Gaslamp sports bars COVID-19 empty Bootlegger
In normal times, Bootlegger is full of spirited Bama fans; now it’s completely empty. Photo: PubClub.com

As an alumni of the University of Alabama, I enjoy going to Bootlegger to watch the Tide games. With the fight song playing after touchdowns, “Sweet Home Alabama” and the U of A version of “Dixieland Delight” blasting from the DJ booth and endless “Roll Tide” cheers, it lives up to its nickname of “Tuscaloosa West.”

Now, tho, only about a dozen people go to the games, sitting mostly quietly at the few socially-distanced outdoor tables. It’s so lacking in spirit, I am considering not even going there for the rest of the Bama games.

Normally fully stocked with bartenders, servers and a DJ, Bootlegger now has a crew of just a couple of bartenders, who double as servers, and two waitresses. With way fewer customers, Bootlegger and other bars have had to cut shifts of their staff.

And that is sad.

San Diego Gaslamp sports bars COVID-19 empty Smoking Gun
There’s no smoking good fun for Florida Gator fans at the Smoking Gun; it’s completely empty with just a few fans outside. Photo: PubClub.com

Just down Market Street at Smoking Gun, the Florida Gators bar – normally packed and lively with an inflatable Gator and sounds of “chomp, chomp” and the Florida fight song spilling out onto the street – is now so devoid of fans and so silent you can hear it it if your cell phone falls out of your pocket onto the sidewalk.

That, too, is sad, as is the whole Saturday and Sunday scene as the Gaslamp sports bars.



Filed Under: San Diego Tagged With: COVID-19 restrictions, San Diego Gaslamp, sports bars

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Unfinished Man

Search

Today On PubClub.com

TOP UPCOMING EVENTS & DATES
• Aug. 19-24 – The Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball, Manhattan Beach AVP Open, Manhattan Beach, CA
• Sept. 3-5 – Labor Day Weekend, USA
• Sept. 17-Oct. 3 – Oktoberfest, Munich

Quote Of The Day:
“It takes no more time to look at the good side of life as it does the bad side.”
–
Jimmy Buffett

LET’S BE SOCIAL!
 
PubClub.com is a member of the Travel & Tourism Marketing Association, Inc.​, and the Travel Massive chapters in Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County (CA).

Instagram

Follow on Instagram

Destinations

  • Destinations (2,004)
    • Asia (15)
      • Japan (4)
        • Tokyo (3)
      • Taiwan (1)
      • Thailand (7)
    • Australia (19)
      • Surfer's Paradise (3)
      • Sydney (5)
    • Brazil (7)
      • Rio (2)
    • Camping (1)
    • Canada (19)
      • Montreal (2)
      • Niagara Falls (5)
      • Toronto (1)
    • Caribbean (54)
      • Cuba (1)
      • San Juan (5)
      • Virgin Islands (18)
    • Central America (1)
      • Costa Rica (1)
    • Europe (96)
      • Amsterdam (14)
      • France (2)
      • Germany (4)
      • Ibiza (2)
      • Kiev (1)
      • London (6)
      • Malta (1)
      • Moscow (1)
      • Munich (5)
      • Paris (4)
      • Poland (3)
        • Krakow (2)
      • Prague (6)
      • Switzerland (34)
        • Basel (5)
        • Bern (3)
        • Swiss Alps (1)
        • Zermatt (3)
        • Zurich (4)
    • Greek Islands (25)
      • Corfu (3)
      • Ios (2)
      • Mykonos (5)
      • Santorini (5)
    • Mexico (9)
      • Cabo San Lucas (1)
      • Puerto Vallarta (1)
      • Tijuana (1)
    • Ski Resorts (67)
      • Aspen (1)
      • Austria (4)
      • Big Bear (13)
      • Big Sky (6)
      • Mammoth (16)
      • Squaw Valley (4)
      • Whistler (2)
    • Tokyo (1)
    • USA (1,682)
      • Alabama (3)
      • Alaska (1)
      • Arizona (6)
        • Lake Havasu (1)
        • Scottsdale (3)
        • Sedona (1)
      • Boston (5)
      • California (1,257)
        • Carmel (24)
        • Central Coast (9)
        • Lancaster (16)
        • Los Angeles (796)
          • Catalina Island (12)
          • Culver City (1)
          • El Segundo (4)
          • Hermosa Beach (173)
            • Fourth Of July (12)
            • Smackfest Events (22)
          • Hollywood (14)
          • Huntington Beach (1)
          • Lake Arrowhead (2)
          • Long Beach (40)
            • Grand Prix (11)
          • Manhattan Beach (76)
          • Marina del Rey (6)
          • Newport Beach (42)
          • Orange County (26)
          • Party Report (15)
          • Redondo Beach (81)
          • Santa Monica (3)
          • South Bay (93)
          • Sunset Strip (4)
          • Temecula (12)
          • Venice Beach (5)
        • Mendocino (12)
        • Monterey (30)
          • Restaurant Reviews (10)
        • Napa (5)
        • Oakland (7)
        • Palm Springs (8)
        • Paso Robles (4)
        • San Clemente (1)
        • San Diego (237)
          • Balboa Park (1)
          • Del Mar (10)
          • Events (65)
          • Gaslamp (40)
          • Lifestyle (4)
          • Ocean Beach (4)
          • Oceanside (1)
          • Pacific Beach (3)
        • San Francisco (68)
          • Events (12)
      • Chicago (10)
      • Colorado (4)
        • Denver (4)
      • Florida (82)
        • Daytona Beach (1)
        • Ft. Lauderdale (3)
        • Jacksonville (1)
        • Key West (25)
        • Keys (8)
        • Miami (9)
        • Panama City Beach (3)
      • Hawaii (24)
        • Waikiki Beach (14)
      • Indianapolis (3)
      • Las Vegas (157)
      • New Jersey (1)
      • New Orleans (40)
      • New York City (14)
      • Newport, R.I. (1)
      • North Carolina (1)
      • Oregon (9)
        • Portland (8)
      • Seattle (2)
      • South Carolina (3)
        • Charleston (3)
      • Tennessee (39)
        • Franklin (3)
        • Gatlinburg (5)
        • Knoxville (8)
        • Nashville (4)
        • Smoky Mountains (3)
      • Texas (6)
        • Austin (6)
      • Utah (2)
      • Virginia (1)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Hong Kong (1)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Events

  • Events (505)
    • BVI Interline Regatta (5)
    • Carnival (5)
    • Cinco de Mayo (2)
    • Exercise and Socalize (2)
    • Fourth of July (8)
    • Halloween (9)
    • Holidays (18)
      • Thanksgiving (6)
    • Indy 500 (10)
    • Kentucky Derby (12)
    • Memorial Day Weekend (5)
    • New Year's Eve (39)
    • Oktoberfest (10)
    • Party Report (46)
    • Running Of The Bulls (5)
    • Spring Break (6)
    • St. Patricks Day (8)
    • Sundance Film Festival (8)
    • Super Bowl (15)
    • Valentine's Day (9)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Sports

  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Sports (474)
    • Baseball (7)
    • Beach Volleyball (3)
    • College Football (269)
    • Golf (11)
    • NFL (44)
    • Olympics (13)
    • Racing (25)
    • Soccer (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Lifestyle

  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Lifestyle (1,514)
    • Beach Reads (1)
    • Cannabis (4)
    • Celebrity Sightings (6)
    • Entertainment (18)
    • Mr. Sorehead (3)
    • Music (270)
      • Festivals (56)
      • Jimmy Buffett (35)
      • Trop Rock (13)
    • Party Stories (2)
    • People Profiles (9)
    • Singles Life (6)
      • Men Vs Women (2)
      • Relationships (2)
    • Social Media (2)
    • Spirits (25)
    • Travel (639)
      • Airlines (30)
      • Blogger (363)
      • Cruise Ships (19)
      • Hotels (14)
      • Product Reviews (3)
      • Singles Travelers (1)
      • Solo Travel (2)
      • Touring Blog (12)
      • Weather (17)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

From the Bar Stool

  • From The Bar Stool (307)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Bars

  • Bars (258)
    • Bars & Food (24)
    • Bars & Nightlife (195)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

News

  • Business News (3,564)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • News (39)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Colleges

  • Colleges (28)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Food and Drinks

  • Food and Drinks (363)
    • Beer (95)
    • Cocktails (41)
    • Foddie Blog (25)
    • Rum (5)
    • Singles Cooking (1)
    • spirits (6)
    • Spirits & Beer Industry (79)
    • Tequila (10)
    • Wine (76)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Subscribe To The PubClub Party Report!

Subscribe To Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

About PubClub.com

PubClub.com is a content-oriented nightlife tourist guide dedicated to social-minded travelers with articles on worldwide destinations such as Amsterdam, the Greek Islands, Prague, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Canada, and more. Top keywords for search are pubclub, pub club, party pubs, club pub, travel pub, pub club night, pubs and clubs and the pub club.
Read More...
Our Terms | Privacy

Legal

Featured Video: The PubClub Song

The PubClub Song By Evyn Charles!

Powered by imFORZA