Bengals fans, disappointed by Super Bowl loss, excited for another season

Sep. 11—One season after the Cincinnati Bengals came one play from winning the franchise's first Super Bowl, the anticipation would blow the roof of Paycor Stadium — if there were a roof.

The Bengals finished last regular season 10-7, then beat the Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs to win the AFC Championship. Then the Bengals lost their third Super Bowl, a 23-20 thriller against the Los Angeles Rams when quarterback Joe Burrow was nearly sacked seconds before a wide receiver came open downfield.

This season begins at 1 p.m. today when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit Paycor Stadium.

Long-time Bengals fans, sports bars and retailers are hoping the Bengals can repeat last season's magical run and eventually win the team's first Super Bowl.

Dennis Vitori of Middletown has owned season tickets since the team was founded in 1968 and has attended 27 Super Bowls, including last year's with his daughter, Ami Vitori.

He's so enthused about the season that he increased his season tickets from two to four. He's taking his wife, daughter and one of his grandsons to every home game.

"I'm a pretty positive guy," he said when asked about the Bengals' chances of repeating as AFC champs. "Nobody will touch (quarterback) Joe (Burrow). As long as we got him, we got a chance."

Collin Arter, 24, of West Chester said he has been a Bengals fan his whole life.

"When you're born in Cincinnati, you have to be," said Arter, a senior business administration major at Eastern Kentucky University.

He believes that once the Bengals selected Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, he changed the expectations on the field and the attitude in the locker room.

"He totally changed the culture," Arter said of Burrow. "All the guy wants to do is win. He's used to winning."

Middletown City Manager Paul Lolli said he couldn't remember a time when he didn't own Bengal season tickets.

Until last season.

"I was frustrated so I got rid of my tickets," he said.

Lolli isn't about to let that happen again. He's back as a season-ticket holder.

"I see good thigs," he said. "Getting Joe Burrow was a big plus for them. If they can stay healthy, they will be hard to beat."

Bryan Wills, 27, of Hamilton said this is the most excited he has been heading into a season.

Just last season, Wills said, he wouldn't give the Bengals "the time of day" when he predicted a 7-10 record. Now he's following every press conference and every social media post.

"The interest is higher for sure," he said.

Sports bars and retailers hope that interest equates to more customers.

Gold Star Chili once again is offering a buy one, get one free offer on three-, four- and five-ways the day after every Bengals victory.

Gina Genco, a spokeswoman for the Gold Star public relations firm, said fans are "really excited after the Super Bowl run" and Gold Star is looking forward to another successful partnership.

Sports apparel retailer Rally House, which has locations in Fairfield Twp., Liberty Twp., and West Chester Twp., has seen a 50-percent boost in Bengals inventory to handle the increased demand for all things Bengals, according to district manager Teri Hauenschild.

Rally House locations throughout southwest Ohio are "definitely seeing people who are super-excited to support the team earlier in the season," she said.

"We've been very excited about even the numbers all year round, but they've really ramped up with training camp," she said. "We're (also) hearing a lot about season ticket holders that we didn't hear about last year. I think they're optimistic about the team and feel good about investing in you know, more apparel to support them."

Hauenschild said she used to have stores in Pittsburgh, where "everybody had a Steelers T-shirt." With Cincinnati's recent success, more people are showing up to southwest Ohio Rally House locations in Bengals gear.

Fans turning out to watch the Bengals in person will be heading into a familiar stadium with a new name. Renaming Paul Brown Stadium to Paycor Stadium benefits the Bengals and its fans.

"It makes our team a better team, a stronger team over time," said Bengals President Mike Brown said last week. "My father would have recognized that. For him, the team was always first. This puts our team, the Bengals, first. It is also a good arrangement for Paycor. It puts their brand out to be seen by all of Cincinnati on a regular basis, and when the Bengals play games, it will carry the Paycor brand across the country on television and radio.."

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HOW TO WATCH

WHAT: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

WHERE Paycor Stadium

WHEN: 1 p.m. today

TV: CBS; RADIO: 700 WLW, ESPN 1530, 102.7 WEBN

2022-23 CINCINNATI BENGALS SCHEDULE

1 p.m., Sept. 11: Pittsburgh

4:25 p.m., Sept. 18: at Dallas

1 p.m. Sept. 25: at New York Jets

8:15 p.m., Sept. 29: Miami

8:20 p.m., Oct. 9: at Baltimore

1 p.m., Oct. 16: at New Orleans

1 p.m., Oct. 23: Atlanta

8:15 p.m., Oct. 31: at Cleveland

1 p.m., Nov. 6: Carolina

8:20 p.m., Nov. 20: at Pittsburgh

1 p.m., Nov. 27: at Tennessee

4:25 p.m., Dec. 4: Kansas City

1 p.m., Dec. 11: Cleveland

4:25 p.m., Dec. 18: at Tampa Bay

1 p.m., Dec. 24: at New England

8:30 p.m., Jan. 2: Buffalo

TBD, Jan. 8: Baltimore