NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — It’s a matchup so prestigious it’s referred to nationally as “The Game.” The Yale versus Harvard football game is taking place this weekend at the Yale Bowl Stadium in New Haven.
“The build-up, I live for it!” said Stew Cohen, a Yale University superfan.
The Yale Bulldogs are looking to extend their all-time series lead against the Harvard Crimson. This year they are touching down in New Haven which is the same place the rivalry started back in 1875.
“We’re busy in New Haven, a lot of people coming from all over,” said Victor Dickson, the front office director at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale.
The game draws alumni, students and fans from across the country.
“We’ll just get slammed right after the game,” Mory’s general manager Carla Cruzoni said. “It started around Tuesday so it’s been a steady build-up all week long.”
The Yale versus Harvard football game is a big score for business in New Haven. The hotel only has a handful of their total 306 rooms available.
“We are almost sold out, anticipating a sell-out for tonight and this weekend,” Dickson said.
It’s also one of the busiest weekends of the year down the street at Mory’s. The private Yale Community Club told News 8 they are fully staffed.
“We’re ready. We all have our sneakers on and ready to go! This is a really big year,” Cruzoni said. “It’s the first really big one since COVID so everyone’s really excited to be back.”
Cohen hasn’t missed a blitz in nearly 60 years and will mark Saturday as his 325th game at the Yale Bowl Stadium.
“Since 1964 I’ve only missed one game,” Cohen said. “Something I look forward to as soon as the season ends, till next year. The comradery, the people that I’ve met, it’s great, it’s fun!”
The Milford resident has attended 39 Yale versus Harvard football games. Cohen believes the Yale Bulldogs are going to win on Saturday.
“A few injuries that derailed what we thought was going to be a perfect season but they’ve stepped up when they had to and Yale’s going to win,” Cohen said.
New Haven police said the game will be fully staffed and they are working alongside Yale University and state police to ensure safety for everyone attending.
New Haven Police Sgt. Cherelle Carr sent News 8 a statement saying in part: “The New Haven Police Department Crowd Control Team, Hazardous Device Unit and Investigative Service Division will all be present at the event.”
The game starts at noon on Saturday at the Yale Bowl Stadium.