SPORTS: How to Host the Ultimate Watch Party for Guests & Fans
It’s the big day — GAMEDAY!!! You’ve done all of this hard work to find and grow a local fan club chapter at your sports bar or restaurant. Now you need to host those guests and give them a stadium-like experience that will keep them coming back for more. Success comes down to clear communication, getting the details of the event right and making it more than just the game on TV.
DID YOU KNOWS…
America’s Brewery Boom
According to the Brewers Association, the brewery count has grown spectacularly over the past 10 years. In 2006, the U.S. had 1,460 of them and by 2018, the count had skyrocketed to 7,450. Broken down, 230 of those were regional craft breweries, 4,522 were microbreweries and 2,594 were brewpubs.
Food Stamp Lawsuit
The Trump administration is being sued by 14 states and Washington, D.C. over its plan that would remove roughly 700,000 food stamp recipients off the program. The changes would raise the bar for states to obtain waivers to help. A county would have to have a minimum unemployment rate of 6%, rather than 2.5%, to meet the criteria. The national average currently sits at 3.5%.
The Hits Keep on Coming
Usually when a company worries about employee theft, it’s stealing from them and not for them. Alas, that makes Alex Cora a special employee then. He and the Boston Red Sox “mutually parted ways” last week after reports that Cora used video replay to steal catcher signs last year as well as stole signs while with the Houston Astros. Seriousness aside of what this means to the MLB, at least the internet memes about it are pretty stellar.
COMING TO A COMMUNITY ROOM NEAR YOU
Why it matters to you: Starbuck’s collaboration with United Way allows every neighborhood to be their home.
Everyone has an opinion about Starbuck’s. From loving their coffee to hating their politics, the 28k+ coffee outlet spurs furious pontificating about their relative contribution, or detraction, from our culture. But beneath the surface of those criticisms lives a company that at least tries to do right by their staff and the communities they occupy.
Take their most recent announcement that they are collaborating with the United Way to bring their services to underserved communities. Now you might say that coffee isn’t an essential aspect of a developed community, but you would be wrong. In fact, this program with the United Way seeks to put Starbuck’s at the heart of poorer communities to incorporate into a larger community-center approach.
The stores themselves will be co-located with United Way community locations and include additional services such as a dedicated community space, hosting work-place training, and even open-mic nights. Some may ask, “Are you doing any favors to these communities by offering them a $4 cup of coffee?” but then you’d be missing the point. One of the ways communities elevate is by exposure to diverse environments like a Starbuck’s Café and expanding the value of the United Way community locations further that elevation. Besides, from Starbuck’s perspective, they are also accessing an audience they might have had trouble reaching and they are doing so in a way that brings value, but isn’t perceived as charity -- and that’s a win-win to be sure.
[Source: Nation’s Restaurant News]
MAKING IT SUPER
Why it matters to you: You have to make the effort, but the Super Bowl can be a great day.
The teams are set for Super Bowl LIV and it’s time to start gearing up for the big game. As with every year, you are competing with a lot of factors to make your Super Sunday a success in the eyes of your guests and your coffers. Unlike most sporting events, there is no barrier to watching this game because most TVs in the country will be tuned to it at 6:18 on Sunday, February 2nd. Consequently, you have to up your game with promotions that will attract guests and make the day worthy of all the hype.
This primer on the Upserve Blog, delivers you ample ideas for how to promote the game. But it doesn’t stop there because they also provide some telling statistics about the last day of NFL Football. For example, did you know that in-store tickets drop 20% on Super Bowl Sunday, however, off-premise orders go up by 14%? There is also a regional component to this with the South and Midwest seeing significant delivery increases, but the Pacific sees delivery drop off.
If you live in the South or Midwest, that’s the type of intelligence that could spur you to run a carryout/delivery program for the game on Sunday. By offering attractive catering packages in advance, guests will be able to enjoy your food while watching the game. However, if you are in the Northeast or Pacific regions, you may want to focus on your in venue promotions and give folks an extra incentive to visit. You can do that by truly hosting the Super Bowl with prizes and activities. By simply tapping into your A/V system with a live mic, you can transform the day into a festive environment and enhance the guest experience.
No matter what approach you take, it’s imperative you do something. Just opening and seeing what happens will be enough dis-incentive to drive your guests someplace where the place embraces the game. So, bid farewell to the NFL with style and your guests will reward you whether they are carryout our or joining you for the game.
[Source: Upserve]
