Sports bars & restaurants can market to Millennials and Gen Z with non-traditional sports like eSports.

Interest in traditional sports is waning

If you’re running a sports-themed restaurant or sports bar, then clearly sports is the driving factor of your business. But even if you don’t operate a traditional “sports bar”, if you’re showing sports at all on your TVs then you still qualify.

The problem is that traditional sports -- i.e., baseball, football, basketball and hockey – are becoming less and less popular with younger generations. In fact, in a recent Nielsen survey, 56% of Gen Zers (aged 13-21) said nontraditional sports are “relevant to my generation” while just 44% said the same for traditional sports. Likewise, 56% of Millennials (aged 22-37) also favor nontraditional sports in a favorable light.

This means operators need to start showing more than just the “big four/five” on a regular basis. You need to show “alternative sports.” Events like eSports tournaments, American Ninja Warrior, USA Climbing’s “Open Bouldering Championship” are a few examples. Heck, even the X-Games or cornhole on ESPN counts if you’re looking for an easier transition.

Start off by picking one night of the week to show nontraditional sports on your TVs. You can put this on one of your busier nights to see how your regulars react or slot it on one of your slowest night of the week to see if you can bring in some extra business. On these test nights, make sure at least some of your TVs are showing something other than major sports.

Don’t forget to promote the hell out of it to both your current guests as well as potential guests. No one will come visit if they don’t know you’re hosting. You may also need a bit of patience for word-of-mouth to spread and to build up a sizable fanbase. Overnight success is a rarity, and if you want to future-proof your restaurant, you need to show younger patrons what they want to see.