Six years ago John Shahin, owner of Harry’s Bar on Crouse Avenue, would go to other bars to watch the Dallas Cowboys and other NFL teams each Sunday.

Then the light flicked on and Shahin wondered, Why not just get the NFL Sunday Ticket package from DirecTV at his own bar?

With the advantage of watching all the football games for free and being able to turn a profit, Shahin rigged up Harry’s with the package and a bunch of televisions. Six years and a big renovation later, Harry’s and ZJ’s Pizza – which is located in the bar – are a hotspot for football fans.

‘I like the crowd on Sundays because I’m a sports fan,’ said Shahin, 43, who has been the owner of Harry’s for all of its 17 years in existence. ‘Everyone watches their teams and the teams in that division.’

The whole day, Shahin is there tending the bar, but more importantly talking it up with customers and sharing some laughs while watching the games. He’s a visible owner that many of the patrons have befriended for his outgoing personality.

And the customers keep coming back.

It’s a good area to attract football fans, as students from out of state can watch their teams play. Even fans from New York don’t always get to watch their squad, as the Bills get priority over the Jets on CBS. So on any Sunday, groups of fans of teams all over the country congregate at Harry’s to eat, drink and enjoy or suffer through some football. The relocated Maggie’s Restaurant and Sports Bar also offers the Sunday Ticket.

Such a mixed bag of spectators makes for a great atmosphere.

Take last week for example. With a ton of great games occurring, fans were hollering all day at the TVs. Then when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Matt Bryant lined up for a 62-yard field goal against the Eagles, everyone stood up and circled around the flat-screen TV. When the kick miraculously went through the uprights, some fans screamed and jumped in celebration, while Eagles fans could only help but bury their head in their hands.

Shahin said that day was one of the more memorable NFL weekends he’s experienced at Harry’s.

It’s what Shahin envisioned when he signed up for NFL ticket six years ago. Although he pays in excess of $4,000 a year for the service, and also has bought 14 TVs – as big as 61 inches – he said it’s a good business investment.

I’ve been going to Harry’s on Sundays since freshman year – you don’t have to be 21 to get in – and usually at any given time, there are at least 30 to 40 people there (for one game). Of course, part of the deal for watching the games with no cover charge is to buy food and drinks. So Shahin says that if he makes $1,000 dollars a weekend for 14 weekends (because there are three weeks when students aren’t at school) he’s turning a good profit.

Shahin also decided to remodel the bar this summer, and is still planning on repairing the floor. While the old place was nice, it looks much better now. ZJ’s was moved downstairs in the bar – it used to be upstairs and separate. New TVs were brought in and booths were created.

But aside from the amenities, it’s just a great place to watch a game. Shahin and his staff are friendly, every possible game is on, and the intensity is always dialed up. Everyone rips on each other a little bit and there is a core of regular fanatics. But it’s not an obnoxious or overly angry crowd.

Shahin had his two young sons in to spend some time with him this Sunday. He’s so dedicated to the bar that he’s at the bar from 8 to 11:30 a.m. each day, and then is there Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the afternoon or night. It’s the time and personality he gives to the bar that makes it so successful.

Senior Aaron Gottlieb, a Jets fan and policy studies major, goes to Harry’s each week to watch his team, as well as other games that his fantasy players are competing in. Even if the Jets are on CBS and he can watch them at home, he’ll go to Harry’s.

‘The atmosphere is good, it’s an exciting atmosphere,’ Gottlieb said. ‘Everyone is friendly, the owner is friendly. It’s beer and football.’

Gottlieb remembers an instance a few weeks ago that sums up Shahin’s personality. He asked Gottlieb what the Sunday Night game was, and when Gottlieb told him, Shahin bought Gottlieb a shot.

With that friendly atmosphere and a mixture of intense fans, drinks and food, a few hours at Harry’s is the way a Sunday afternoon should be spent.