Sport in pubs ‘clear way to drive footfall’ and add to bottom line

13-Jul-2017 - Last updated on 14-Jul-2017 at 08:42 GMT

Drive footfall: Sport is a key and clear way to add to pubs' bottom lines

Rather than sport being a cost to your business, it can add to your bottom line, according to CGA Strategy’s commercial director.

Speaking on Thursday (13 July) at The Morning Advertiser’s Maximising Sport in Pubs event run in conjunction with MatchPint, Graeme Loudon discussed how important sports fans are to pubs in the current “flat market” which has “increasing headwinds”.

According to Loudon, 47% of sports fans go out at least once a week compared with the UK’s average of 32%, and will spend more when they do, with an average spend of £28.94.

“Not only is the sports fan more frequent in going to the pub, but they also spend more when they are there watching a game. Sounds like the exact type of person we want,” said Loudon.

“However, we need to keep them in there for as long as possible.”

Loudon said the average sports fan spends more than three hours in a pub watching a game, and suggested by putting on pre- or post-match deals it can increase those hours and inevitable sales.

Mix of sports is the key

It is not just British football that has given sports pubs an increase in drinks sales, said Loudon.

Three in five publicans said sales increased by more than 10% over the course of the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament.

Figures also showed there was on average a 47% sales uplift during the 2015 Rugby World Cup and a 39% sales uplift for Superbowl Sunday, versus the rest of the yearly average.

“We are in a flat market. Sport is a key way and a clear way to drive footfall,” said Loudon.

“Sports fans plan ahead, so make sure you plan ahead too.

“It’s not just about sport, it’s about experience. We need to make sure we understand our consumer, as that will help maximise sport in the pub.”