The buzz from Team USA’s run to the gold medal game had not even worn off yet, and Western New York business owners were already asking themselves a big question.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Not long after the excitement of the Team USA men’s hockey team playing for an Olympic gold medal wore off on Friday, some business owners across Western New York started to wonder about something.
Would they be allowed to open early — specifically, around 8 a.m. — and serve alcohol Sunday morning for anyone who wanted to gather to watch the United States take on Canada at the Winter Games?
State law prevents bars from opening and serving alcohol before 10 a.m. on Sundays. New York State Assemblyman Patrick Burke on Saturday wrote a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Liquor Authority, hoping they could lift that restriction for at least one day.
“I am calling this common-sense, one-day adjustment the TAGE Rule — the Team America Game-Day Exemption — because that’s exactly what it is: a narrowly tailored exemption to allow fans to come together for a once-in-a-generation moment,” Burke wrote.
Businesses interested in opening early were told Saturday evening that they could apply for a miscellaneous permit.
This isn’t the first time a sporting event led to business owners asking for a one-day reprieve. When the Buffalo Bills visited London back in October of 2023 to play a “home” game, the state worked with business owners on a $35 permit that allowed businesses to sell alcohol from 8 to 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Kickoff for that game was at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time, so some businesses passed on the permit and opened at their regular time.
Sabres star Tage Thompson and Team USA will play Canada in the gold medal game at 8:10 a.m. Sunday. The game will be shown on NBC and Channel 2.