From packed-out local pubs, supporters' merchandise, coach bookings and even red and blue house paint, the economic value of the Knights' finals success is obvious even before the grand final is played.
Earlier this week, 22,500 tickets were snapped up for the McDonald Jones Stadium grand final live site.
As punters cheer on the Knights as if their lives depend on it, they will consume an estimated 15,000 bottles of water and soft drinks, 5000 litres of beer, 1.25 tonnes of hot chips, 375 kilograms of chicken, 2500 meat pies, 1750 hot dogs and 1750 sausage rolls.
On top of that, the event will provide an extra pay packet for 350 stadium staff.
While the final numbers are yet to be crunched, there's a lot of red and blue in the Hunter's economy at the moment.
Hunter Business chief executive Bob Hawes said previous events, such as Supercars, had provided some insight into the benefits of hosting major events. However, grand final fever was unique.
"But you don't have to look far to see evidence of the boost it has given to businesses," he said.
"The good thing is that the businesses that are getting a lift are in consumer-facing sectors like retail, hospitality and transport companies, which are the ones that have been doing it tough lately due to high fuel costs and other cost-of-living pressures that have suppressed household spending.
"The more entrepreneurial businesses have certainly been leveraging the opportunity - like the butcher selling blue and red sausages, the retailers commissioning special edition T-shirts and the cafes painting their walls in Knights colours."
Mr Hawes said excitement surrounding the Knights' grand final appearance had even made its way to Singapore, where he is participating in a Hunter trade mission.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said there was no doubt the grand final frenzy was a major shot in the arm for the Hunter's economy.
"The Hunter is absolutely buzzing. You can see it everywhere, from packed pubs to red and blue right across the region. All eyes are on us," she said.
"We back our own, we get behind our team and, when something big is happening, the whole region gets around it.
"The game might be in Sydney, but there's no doubt where the heart of this grand final is."
The 2026 NRL Grand Final will deliver an estimated $20 million economic impact to the NSW economy, alongside a $1 million premiership prize pool for the winning club.
