The streets bled orange and blue in the early hours of 5 a.m. on Saturday, as Gator fans marked their spots in line at The Swamp Restaurant for a chance to secure a table for the Gators’ Final Four match against Auburn at 6 p.m.
Others arrived as early as 1:45 a.m. with tents, twin mattresses and a pack of Zyns — all to see the Gators return to the Final Four for the first time in 11 years. But the excitement to watch the Gators didn’t entice many to fork out hundreds of dollars some bars were requesting for table reservations.
“It just didn’t seem worth it for $1,500 — like, [we’ve got] rent,” Ariana Owens, an 18-year-old UF health science sophomore, said. “That just seems outlandish.”
Though a Swamp spokesperson did not disclose the price of tables, texting the VIP service line revealed a VIP table package for eight people cost $1,500 before tax and gratuity, or about $188 per person. Owens, alongside three of her roommates, woke up at 6 a.m. and got in line at 7 a.m. for general admission at The Swamp, but they still weren’t able to get a table.
Kylie Coulter, the event coordinator and manager for The Swamp, said staff prepared extra tables for the chaos of March Madness. The Swamp even bought an extra LED screen TV, she said. Coulter said the numbers surrounding the VIP packages were being “twisted” and emphasized general admission was being prioritized.
“We wanted most of our tables to be for general seating, obviously,” Coulter said. “We're trying to make sure everyone can watch the game and not just those who pay for a table.”
Despite the UV seven index and over 80 degree weather, Gator fans, like Anabelle Whitmore, happily and sweatily enjoyed the Gator sport atmosphere.
Whitmore, a 21-year-old UF chemistry senior, started camping at 5:45 a.m. with her friend. They were the 40th group in line. She witnessed three tents and multiple twin mattresses toward the front of the line. Though she was able to get a free table near the TVs at The Swamp, reserving one wouldn’t have been worth it, she said.
“We’ve sucked at every sport for the last four years,” Whitmore said. “It’s so great to see us winning.”
Other bars, like MacDinton's Gainesville, also offered table reservations and VIP packages as long as a $500 deposit was put down. Fans could pay, $700 for a four-top, $1,400 for eight to 10 people or $2,600 for a table for 20.
Similarly, tickets to enter the bar without a table, priced at $50, sold out days ahead of time. But general admission on Saturday increased to $60.
Still, Amelie Cabrera, a 21-year-old UF political science senior, was willing to pay $60 cover for superstition, she said.
“The team has won every time I’ve watched the game here,” Cabrera said. “So I’ll continue to watch the game here.”
Right next door to the Irish pub, another orange and blue line made its way out the door at the Salty Dog Saloon. Commonly known as “Dog,” the bar only charged $10 general admission.
“[Dog’s] was the cheapest option we had,” said Grant Collins, a 21-year-old UF computer science junior.
But Dog wasn’t the only economical choice. At the sports bar Mom’s OG, general admission was free. Though Gator fans could reserve a table for up to six people for $800, no one reserved any, so fans were all allowed in, according to the bar.
Rachel Hickey, one of four owners at Mom’s OG, said this year’s March Madness is extremely busy, but despite the long days it's been fun and exciting. She said most of the bar’s employees are students.
“It’s truly inspiring to see their classmates excel in this championship,” Hickey said.
Joseph Andreacchio, a 28-year-old UF law student, said he was turned off by the high covers and reservation prices at other establishments. Similarly, he was able to walk from his apartment to Mom’s OG and not worry about overcrowding.
“I did not have to sleep outside on a mattress to get into a bar,” Andreacchio said.
Contact Vivienne Serret at vserret@alligator.org Follow her on X @vivienneserret.
Vivienne Serret is a UF journalism and criminology senior, serving as the Fall 2024 race and equity reporter for The Alligator's Enterprise desk. She previously worked as a columnist and previously reported for The Alligator's university desk as the student government reporter. She loves karaoke and lifting at the gym.
