By Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis – There might be no hockey this season for Blues fans. But one sports business expert says the lock-out will have little effect on St. Louis's economy.
NHL owners will lock out players Wednesday night, and that could mean no Blues hockey at all this season.
Patrick Rishe, with Webster University, says the region's economy won't take that big of a hit because most fans who go to games live close by.
He says fans will just spend money somewhere else in the region this fall if there's no hockey.
"If there's anyone that's going to be a loser here in the short term, in the months of October, November and December, it's definitely going to be those restaurants and retail stores in Union Station and other locations close to Savvis Center where people would be spending money if they were down there watching a game," Rishe said.
Rishe adds the effect would be more severe if there were no baseball.
He says that's because more fans at Busch Stadium have come from farther away and spend money in St. Louis.