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World Cup competition boosts business for Central Coast sports bars

The United States Soccer Team is scheduled to play its first elimination-round World Cup game Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT against Belgium.

Managers at Central Coast bars and restaurants showing the game say they expect to see big crowds, even though it's in the middle of a work day.

An informal survey of a half-dozen sports bars from Santa Barbara to Paso Robles shows an uptick in business of between 5 to 20 percent, thanks entirely to the games.

Milton Carrillo is the manager at Eureka Burger in downtown San Luis Obispo and says he expects a full house for the USA game.

"Over the years, I would say soccer has become a lot more popular in the United States, you know we get more fans that want to come in and watch it," says Carrillo. "It's always better to—a little bit more fun I would say—to be in a restaurant, or a sports bar, or somewhere where you can be with your friends."

Carrillo says soccer is the only professional sport, outside the Olympics, that has a world-wide audience, giving Americans the opportunity to cheer for their country.