Pub customers demand high quality World Cup viewing

Despite 52% of Brits admitting they would rather watch football at home to guarantee a better view of the action, figures from previous tournaments estimate that 14.8m fans will be heading to their local to watch the World Cup, meaning landlords could be missing out if they can’t get their tactics right.

The research, taken from a sample of 2,010 nationally representative UK adults, reveals that almost half of respondents (45%) wouldn’t go back to a pub that fails to offer the viewing experience they’re after.

The biggest fan complaints when watching football at the pub according to the survey were:

• People standing in the way of the screen (37%)
• Not enough TVs for a clear view (28%)
• Not being able to hear the commentary (23%)

This is supported by CGA research that suggests visibility is an important factor for sports fans when deciding where to watch the match​.

With this summer’s World Cup to be the first ever​ broadcast in ultra high definition, research has revealed that fans are becoming increasingly fussy about their viewing experience. Seventy-nine per cent of punters now expect their local to be showing the action in high definition (HD), with more than a third (34 per cent) noting they wouldn’t watch the game in a pub that didn’t have a HD set-up.

The research also revealed that 32% of fans wanted more TVs to guarantee a clear view, 44% thought more seating would help and 23% wanted to hear commentary clearly.

Commenting on the findings, Jim O'Hagan, business development director at Currys PC World Business, said: “Major sporting events have always represented a big opportunity for pub landlords, and a football World Cup tops the lot.

“However, our research shows that savvy pub-goers want more than just access to a quick pint and a screen.

“Landlords need to do more to tempt potential customers away from the comfort of their homes, or risk them becoming part of the 45% who would turn their backs on returning later on in the tournament, meaning the loss of crucial revenue.

“With kick-off just around the corner, landlords need to invest now to get their commercial TV set-up match-fit or risk leaving punters disappointed – which, as we all know, is England’s job!”