Indiana University Football isn’t just winning games, it’s transforming Bloomington’s entire weekend economy.

With Saturday’s win over Wisconsin, the Hoosiers improved to 11-0 for the first time in program history. Memorial Stadium has been packed with sellout crowds all season, but the impact of this historic run stretches far beyond the field.

Home games are bringing a surge of visitors, and local businesses say they’re feeling it more than ever.

“When we were struggling people would go to the football game and leave,” said Christopher Emge of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.

This year, that routine is completely different. Instead of heading home right after the game, fans are sticking around, making it a weekend-long trip.

“Winning produces people spending, losing makes them go home. And that’s kind of a big factor in that,” Emge said.

So how much money is flowing into Bloomington on football weekends?

According to Visit Bloomington Executive Director Mike McAfee, the answer is simple: a lot.

Each home game brings in 55,000 to 60,000 fans, many of them traveling from out of town and staying overnight. Bloomington’s 2,600 hotel rooms routinely hit 95% occupancy.

Restaurants and bars see the same rush. Crowds start to build on Thursday evenings and peak throughout Sunday.

McAfee estimates that by the time fans leave town, a football weekend can generate $8-10 million for the local economy.

Big Woods Bloomington is one of the many spots feeling the pressure, and the payoff, of the Hoosiers’ winning streak.

“Definitely some more servers and more kitchen workers, we’re just a lot busier, we need more people and more hands on deck,” said Will Hanlon, a server at Big Woods.

To handle the extra crowds, Big Woods even expanded its patio space.

“We actually opened a cabin space over in our patio area and it’s like a whole other second restaurant,” Hanlon said. “That especially comes in helpful on game days.”

For many businesses, IU’s season has provided the kind of momentum that typically only comes with major events like graduation or Little 500. Except now, it happens every other weekend.

IU’s on-field success has created an off-field win for Bloomington.

More fans. More overnight stays. More full restaurants. And more money flowing into the local economy.

Here’s what a typical home game weekend looks like by the numbers:

• 55,000-60,000 fans packing Memorial Stadium
• 2,600 hotel rooms filled at roughly 95% occupancy
• 150 downtown bars and restaurants flooded with customers
• $8-10 million generated each weekend

It’s a reminder that sports can help fuel the economy, lift small businesses, and bring people together, whether they’re cheering in the stands or celebrating downtown afterward.

And as long as IU keeps winning, Bloomington businesses will have plenty to cheer about too.