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How Local Businesses Can Prepare Their Websites for College Football Season

A practical website checklist for local businesses preparing for possible college football game-day inquiries.

The StoopCraft Team
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Prepare for game-day questions before they arrive

College football season can change the rhythm of a town near a campus or stadium. Restaurants may adjust seating or hours, hotels may field availability questions, retailers may run event-related promotions, and service businesses may need to clarify access, scheduling, or parking.

Local reporting in Texas reflects that preparation. Businesses were getting ready for UTRGV’s second football season, while reporting from the McNeese area described businesses expecting or seeing a seasonal boost as football began. Those reports do not prove that every nearby business will receive more website visitors, calls, bookings, or form submissions. They do suggest that local businesses should prepare their online information for a possible increase in game-day questions.

Your website should make it easy for a visitor on a phone to answer the basics quickly: Are you open? Do you have availability? What is the offer? Where should I park? How do I get there? Who should I contact?

Table of contents

Start with the information customers need immediately

Do not make a visitor hunt through social posts, a PDF menu, or an old events calendar to understand your game-day plan. Put time-sensitive details in places people already visit: the homepage, relevant location page, contact page, and—when useful—a dedicated update page.

Before each home game or major local matchup, review these essentials:

  • Business hours: List standard hours and any game-day changes separately. “Open 11 a.m.–10 p.m.” is clearer than “Open late.”
  • Availability rules: State whether reservations, appointments, walk-ins, pickup orders, or same-day service are available.
  • Promotions or specials: Name the offer, dates or times it applies, and important limits. Remove the promotion after it ends.
  • Location details: Confirm the address, map link, entrance instructions, and phone number are current.
  • Parking and access: Explain customer parking, alternate entrances, street closures you know about, or whether visitors should allow extra time. Do not guess at traffic conditions or closures.
  • Contact method: Give customers one obvious way to ask a question—call, booking link, or short form.
  • Event-related services: If you offer shuttle-adjacent pickup, catering, extended retail hours, pre-game appointments, or other relevant services, describe exactly what is available.

If any of this differs by location, publish location-specific information. A customer should not need to call just to learn which location is open later.

For a broader review of core website information, see The Local Business Website Checklist.

Create a clear game-day update

A game-day page does not need to be elaborate. Its job is to reduce uncertainty for people making a quick decision.

For many businesses, a short page or homepage announcement can cover the key details:

Game-Day Hours and Visitor Information
We are open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Reservations are available online while tables remain available.
Customer parking is available at [location]. Please use the [entrance] entrance.
For group requests or availability questions, call [phone number] or use our contact form.

Only publish details you can keep accurate. If you do not know whether a special will run for every game, do not create a season-long page that implies it will.

Use plain language, not fan shorthand

A visitor may be a parent, an alumni group, a first-time traveler, or someone attending an event near the stadium—not necessarily a dedicated fan. Avoid wording that assumes they know local nicknames, parking lots, entrances, or neighborhood routes.

Instead of:

  • “We’re right by the usual tailgate area.”

Use:

  • “We are two blocks from [landmark], with customer parking behind our building off [street].”

Instead of:

  • “Game-day special available before kickoff.”

Use:

  • “The pre-game menu is available from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on home-game Saturdays.”

Specificity makes the page useful even for visitors unfamiliar with the area.

Match the page to your business type

The best game-day website update depends on the questions your business is most likely to receive.

Restaurants, bars, and food businesses

Restaurant visitors commonly need to know whether they can get a table, order ahead, bring a group, or find your menu quickly.

Prioritize:

  • Current hours and kitchen hours
  • Reservation, waitlist, or online-order links
  • Group dining or catering details, if offered
  • A readable mobile menu
  • Any game-day special with clear start and end times
  • Parking, pickup, and entrance instructions
  • A direct call button for urgent questions

Do not bury your reservation link below long promotional copy. Put it near the top of the relevant page and repeat it after your game-day details.

For help structuring a limited-time offer without creating confusion, read How Local Restaurants Should Add a Limited-Time Promotion to Their Website. For a wider restaurant-site review, see What Makes a Great Restaurant Website.

Hotels, short-term lodging, and event-adjacent accommodations

Visitors may be comparing availability, check-in details, parking, local access, and booking rules.

Make these details easy to find:

  • Booking link or availability contact method
  • Check-in and check-out times
  • Parking availability and any applicable rules
  • Address and map link
  • Accessibility or arrival information you already provide
  • Cancellation policy, if relevant
  • Group booking contact details, if applicable

Do not imply rooms are available unless your booking system or staff can confirm it. If availability changes quickly, link directly to the current booking path rather than posting a static availability claim.

Retailers and local shops

Game weekends may create interest in practical purchases, gifts, apparel, food, or last-minute items. Your site should clarify what customers can actually buy or reserve.

Consider publishing:

  • Current store hours
  • A short event-weekend collection or featured-products section
  • In-store pickup details, if offered
  • Inventory caveats when stock can change
  • Parking and store access instructions
  • A phone number for product-availability questions

Avoid listing limited inventory as guaranteed. “Call before visiting for current availability” is more accurate when stock moves quickly.

Service businesses near campuses and stadiums

Home-service providers, auto shops, salons, clinics, and other appointment-based businesses may not see the same type of game-day demand as hospitality businesses. Still, a local event can affect travel time, customer access, staff schedules, and appointment questions.

Update your website if you are changing:

  • Appointment availability
  • Service-area timing
  • Customer parking or entrance instructions
  • Pickup and drop-off details
  • Emergency or after-hours contact information
  • Any event-specific service you genuinely offer

If your business is not participating in game-day activity, a simple accurate schedule is better than forcing a football theme into your site.

Make directions and parking practical

Directions are a conversion detail, not an afterthought. A visitor who cannot confidently find your entrance may choose another option.

Review your website for these friction points:

  1. The address is clickable on mobile. Link it to a map service or ensure it is easy to copy.
  2. The phone number is tap-to-call. This is especially useful for travelers who need a quick answer.
  3. Parking instructions are current. Say where customers may park, not just that parking exists.
  4. Your entrance is clear. Mention suite numbers, rear entrances, elevator access, or landmark-based guidance when relevant.
  5. Temporary updates have an expiration plan. Remove directions that only apply to one event after the event ends.

Your Google Business Profile should match the hours and location information on your website. Learn how the two work together in Google Business Profile and Your Website.

Check the mobile experience

Game-day visitors are likely to be away from home, in a car, walking downtown, or standing outside a venue. They may have little patience for a slow or confusing site.

Test your key pages from a phone before publishing an update:

  • Can you find hours without scrolling far?
  • Does the reservation, booking, order, or contact button work?
  • Is the menu readable without pinching and zooming?
  • Does the map link open correctly?
  • Are promotions readable and current?
  • Can a customer submit a form without unnecessary fields?
  • Does the confirmation message explain what happens next?

A mobile-first review is particularly important when your update is time-sensitive. See Why Your Local Business Website Has to Work on a Phone First for a more complete mobile usability checklist.

Prepare your contact and booking paths

An event-related update only helps if a customer can take the next step without confusion.

Choose one primary action for each page:

  • Reserve a table
  • Check availability
  • Order online
  • Book an appointment
  • Call for same-day questions
  • Request a group quote

Do not present five equally prominent buttons. A restaurant page may prioritize “Reserve a Table,” while a hotel page may prioritize “Check Availability.” A service business with uncertain scheduling may use “Request an Appointment” and clearly state when someone will respond.

Keep forms short for time-sensitive questions

For a game-day inquiry, ask only for details needed to respond:

  • Name
  • Phone or email
  • Requested date and time
  • Party size, appointment type, or service needed
  • A short message

A long form can discourage a visitor who simply wants to know whether you have availability. For form design guidance, read 7 Contact Page Mistakes That Cost Local Businesses Leads.

Set a response process before publishing

If inquiries rise, staff should know who owns them. Before a major game weekend, decide:

  • Which inbox or phone receives website inquiries
  • Who checks messages during business hours
  • What happens after hours
  • How staff should answer availability questions
  • When an outdated promotion or schedule update gets removed

Make sure website lead notifications reach someone who can act on them. Local Business Website Lead Notifications: How to Stop Missing New Inquiries covers the basics, while How Local Businesses Should Handle Website Leads That Arrive After Hours can help with your after-hours plan.

Use a simple pre-game publishing process

Use this checklist a few days before each relevant game or event weekend.

Game-day website checklist

  • [ ] Confirm standard and adjusted hours with the person who manages the schedule.
  • [ ] Verify reservation, booking, ordering, and contact links.
  • [ ] Review promotions for accurate dates, times, and restrictions.
  • [ ] Check parking, entrance, and location information.
  • [ ] Put the most important update on the homepage or relevant location page.
  • [ ] Test the update on a phone.
  • [ ] Confirm the phone number and contact form route to an active team member.
  • [ ] Update matching information on your Google Business Profile, where applicable.
  • [ ] Assign someone to remove or revise temporary information after the event.

The goal is not to turn your website into a fan page. It is to help a prospective customer quickly understand whether your business is a fit for their plans.

Keep the StoopCraft bridge short

A timely update is easier to manage when your website has clear pages, practical contact paths, and an owner who can keep information current. StoopCraft builds done-for-you websites for local businesses and includes on-page SEO for $69/month. Learn more at StoopCraft.

Local reporting informing this timely checklist:

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