Tempe Sports Bar Prohibits any Arizona Fandom amidst Rivalry Game

The rivalry between Arizona and ASU continues this week at Wells Fargo Arena. Amidst the rivalry, one Tempe Sports Bar is banning Wildcats.

There’s healthy rivalry, and then there’s taking it a bit too far. With the Wildcats and Sun Devils set to take to the hardwood for the second time this season at Wells Fargo Arena, one Tempe Sports Bar wants no Wildcats.

That’s right, College Bar & Grill, located on 502 S. College Avenue in Tempe, has a pretty strict uhh, dress code in order to watch Thursday nights game.

The bar’s owner posted this to Twitter just a few days ago.

Citing it as a matter of safety, the bar’s owner felt it best to ban Wildcats for the game to ensure a fun, safe, ASU-filled environment.

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Publicity stunt? It’s possible, since the Tempe-based sports bar recently opened to the public, and perhaps are capitalizing on some free marketing.

I guess it would be wise to do anything to bring more attention to a once failed establishment, previously known as Mad Hatter.

In an interview with AZCentral.com, Nick Nicholas, known as the Dean of Operations of College Bar had this to say about the decision; “First off, we’re an ASU bar. We’re the only true ASU bar in downtown Tempe,” Nicholas said. “We figured it’d be a good opportunity to put our flag in the ground and mark our territory, and be a place where the whole fan base can get behind us.”

He added, “Secondly, it is very much for safety reasons. Anytime you get the two fan-bases in the same room, they clash a little,” he said. “We’d rather have everyone here having a good time and rooting for the same cause.”

Ah, yes, that’s right, safety! This coming from the fan base known for once chanting “PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization)” to former Wildcat guard Steve Kerr after the untimely death of his father [Malcolm] in Beirut.

Or as Tucson sports writer Anthony Gimino noted that in 2004, that same, classy fan base who started chanting Lute’s an (expletive). Lute’s an (expletive) to the former Wildcat head coach during a typical Arizona blowout of ASU. That incident of course led us to perhaps one of the most iconic moments in not only the rivalries history, but Arizona’s history. The infamous ‘point’!

We however, must acknowledge, that the owner is certainly entitled to serving (or in this case refusing) who he wishes, even if he and his fellow Sun Devil fans are weak minded.

While there surely isn’t much love lost between the two fan bases, implications of Thursday’s game have intensified of recent, and perhaps this is the result of that.

Arizona still sits atop the Pac-12 with a two-game lead, while ASU sits but a few games back, after winning three-straight versus Washington State, USC and UCLA respectively.

The program dubbing themselves as ‘Guard U’ looks to use their strengths in hopes for an upset this Thursday.

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At Zona Zealots, we are excited for the game and hope the Wildcats can come out victorious in what will surely be a tough game. If you just so happen to be out and about in Phoenix looking for a spot to watch the game, just watch out for the fragile and narrow-minded Sun Devils at College Bar. Bear Down, Arizona!