Last week, fans got ready for the college football season. Starting now, the National Football League gets thrown into the mix as pro fans dust off their jerseys and get out the guacamole in preparation for 17 weeks of the NFL season.

Just a year ago, those preparations also included many Anderson football nuts driving a half-hour or so up I-85 to a bar or restaurant that carried the NFL Sunday Ticket and the ability to serve a beer along with their favorite game. In 2008, thanks to a vote in April by city residents, the city of Anderson will finally be able to offer the same thing — just a little closer to home.

It’s been five months since the city of Anderson gave restaurants within the city limits the opportunity to serve an alcoholic beverage with their food and the football game. According to a report from the South Carolina Department of Revenue, the months of April, May and June showed that 13 restaurants applied for the Sunday license and a handful more have done so since then. It proves, many say, that Sunday sales are another good step toward giving Anderson more options.

“It’s a marketing tool for us,” said John Benca, co-owner of McGee’s Irish Pub and Jax New Orleans Bistro. “We can be more competitive with comparable establishments in Greenville and gives us the opportunity to say, ‘shop at home.’”

McGee’s and Jax were two of the first to get the Sunday license and have been open on Sunday since April. Others, like El Patron, Papa Dukes, Applebee’s, Chiefs and Fin ‘N’ Filet have also joined the Sunday sales fray over the past few months.

And with the football season coming up, it will be a chance to give Andersonians a reason to stay around the Electric City to watch their favorite team in action.

“I think there are a lot of people looking forward to enjoying an NFL game in a bar,” said Derek Ward, co-owner of Papa Duke’s Bar and Grille with his wife, Jill Ward. “I decided to do the NFL Sunday Ticket and cater to all fans who want to come our way.”

Other bars and restaurants like Chief’s will be offering the Sunday Ticket as well. Art Johns, general manager of Chief’s, said they are excited to finally be able to serve a beer with their football options on 30 televisions throughout the establishment.

“We have said that whatever games are on will be chosen by popular demand,” Johns said. “We will have the home teams like Panthers and Falcons, but have had a lot of requests already for other teams.”

Chief’s and Applebee’s are restaurants that have always been open on Sundays and now can provide a new service to customers with the advent of Sunday alcohol sales. Restaurants like McGee’s were new to opening on Sundays and Benca said they have seen a spike in food sales as a result.

Recently, the Uptown Lounge purchased the Sunday license because of the football season. They have eight flat screens throughout the bar and restaurant and plan on showing each and every game possible.

Owner Shane Dowler said he decided to wait until the football season because so many of his customers were asking if and when he was going to make the plunge. Dowler said he is looking into getting the NFL Sunday Ticket and, though expensive, it should ultimately help his business.

“When it first was available, I drove around and it didn’t seem like anyone was that busy,” Dowler said of his decision to wait. “But now that lake season is ending and football season starts, it should pick up.”

Overall, it’s too early to tell just what kind of impact the Sunday sales have had on businesses that are eligible for the license. At just over $3,000 for the year, owners and managers must weigh the risk and reward of buying it and, for some, opening on a day of the week they were normally closed.

And with four months of football to look forward to, this first season could show the possibilities many establishments will face in the year to come.

“For years, we have had people from out of state want a drink on Sunday and we have had to say, ‘No,’” said Ty Bouchard, associate manager at Applebee’s. “Many of those would go to Greenville. Now we can say, ‘Yes.’”