Sports and licensees – A match made in heaven

It is a great British pastime; a visit to the pub to watch the match with family and friends. For many, the atmosphere is better than watching it in real life, while the pub also provides the advantage of a wide drinks and food offering, as well as being a place to gather and socialise pre- and post-event.

Top tips for busy periods:

• Stock up on packaged products, such as single-serve glass bottles of Pepsi MAX® and London Essence mixers, which can be sold in ice buckets with a bottle of spirits at a fixed price
• Provide bottomless refills on soft drinks or serve soft drinks in pitchers
• Take complicated drink serves and dishes off menus to speed up service
• Create meal deals for groups that consist of quick-serve dishes such as BBQ-style food and soft drinks to speed up service
• Encourage guests to book tables and spaces prior to a televised sporting event to give a better understanding of numbers to help with ordering

Driving customers to venues is predominantly the atmosphere that awaits them during a big screened sporting event, with the majority choosing pubs over watching at home for this reason. Others say it is a great chance to enjoy drinks, engage with other fans or gain a greater sense of the event, which they claim ‘is generally more exciting’.

Although, it’s not just the customers who look forward to a stellar line up of a summer of sports. Three-quarters of publicans say sports could play a significant part in attracting more business during the summer.

 

Expand your trading footprint

• For pubs with big gardens, hire marquees during busy sporting periods to create a new trading space
• Serve packaged drinks from fridges in temporary outdoor areas and portable bars to free up the main bar
• Hire or buy large screens or projectors and sound systems to show sports outside or in temporary structures
• Create or utilise permanent garden pods or huts by installing TVs and mini fridges to be hired out exclusively to guests at a premium

Although consumers need few excuses to go to a pub to watch sport, there are circumstances that will keep them home. Some 40% say bad weather will stop them from crossing the threshold and 20% say takeaways are more tempting.

Tempt customers out with special deals and dedicated spaces for them to book in advance, possibly with a holding deposit, to give them more incentive to turn up. Deals on food and drink are important, with 34% of those asked saying special deals on food would help tempt them out, and a quarter adding special drinks deals would encourage them to leave home for the pub.

The pub is a natural choice for sports fans to come together to enjoy an event under one roof. But there is more pressure on pubs to provide a point of difference. Customers are looking for more from their pub visits in general, particularly around premium with a third of consumers looking for higher quality drinks and experiences following the pandemic.

This means even at sporting events, customers could be looking to trade up to something more expensive as they seek elevated experiences. This could be a No and Low alcohol consumer, looking for an option beyond a long soft drink, such as a house soda or mocktail. Or, a spirit and mixer consumer might seek a more premium tonic, such as London Essence, to go with a higher-quality spirit.

With a big season of sporting events on the horizon, licensed venues should get ahead and plan activities to ensure they maximise the revenue opportunities available to them.

 

Big sporting events of 2024:

January

3: Darts - PDC World Championship final, Alexandra Palace, London

4-8: Football - FA Cup third round

7: Tennis - United Cup final, Sydney

7-14: - Snooker - Masters, Alexandra Palace, London

9-10: Football - EFL Cup semi-finals first legs

13: Boxing - Artur Beterbiev v Callum Smith, undisputed light-heavyweight championship, Quebec, Canada

14: Football - Women's FA Cup fourth round

15-28: Tennis - Australian Open, Melbourne Park

20: Boxing - Natasha Jonas v Mikaela Mayer, IBF welterweight title, Liverpool

23-24: Football - EFL Cup semi-finals second legs

24: Cricket - Big Bash League final, venue TBC

24-25: Football - Women's Champions League matchday five

25-29: Cricket - India v England first Test, Hyderabad

26-29: Football - FA Cup fourth round

27: Basketball - BBL Trophy final

28: NFL - AFC and NFC Championship games

30-31: Football - Women's Champions League match day six

February

2: Rugby union - Six Nations round one: France v Ireland

2-6: Cricket - India v England second Test, Visakhapatnam

3: Rugby union - Six Nations round one: Italy v England, Wales v Scotland

3: Boxing - British light-heavyweight title: Joshua Buatsi v Dan Azeez, Wembley Arena

10: Rugby union - Six Nations round two: Scotland v France, England v Wales

11: Rugby union - Six Nations round two: Ireland v Italy

11: Football - Women's FA Cup fifth round

11: NFL - Super Bowl, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

13-14: Football - Champions League last-16 ties

15: Football - Europa League and Europa Conference League knockout round play-off first legs

15: Rugby league - Super League season starts with Hull FC v Hull KR

15-19: Cricket - India v England third Test, Rajkot

17: Boxing - Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk, undisputed heavyweight world title fight, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

17-18: Athletics - UK Indoor Championships, Birmingham

20-21: Football - Champions League last-16 ties

22: Football - Europa League and Europa Conference League knockout round play-off second legs

23: Football - Women's Nations League Finals: Semi-finals - Spain v Netherlands, France v Germany

23: Basketball - EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers: Great Britain v Netherlands

23-27: Cricket - India v England fourth Test, Ranchi

24 Rugby union - Six Nations round three: Ireland v Wales, Scotland v England

24: Rugby league - World Club Challenge: Wigan Warriors v Penrith Panthers, DW Stadium, Wigan

25: Rugby union - Six Nations round three: France v Italy

25: Football - League Cup final, Wembley Stadium

26: Basketball - EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers: Czech Republic v Great Britain

28: Football - FA Cup fifth round

28: Football - Women's Nations League Finals: Final and third-place play-off

29 Feb to 2 March: Formula 1 - Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir

March

1-3: World Athletics Indoor Championships, Emirates Arena, Glasgow

5-6: Football - Champions League last-16 second legs

7: Football - Europa League and Europa Conference League last-16 first legs

7-9: Formula 1 - Saudia Arabia Grand Prix, Jeddah

7-11: Cricket - India v England fifth Test, Dharamsala

9: Rugby union - Six Nations round four: Italy v Scotland, England v Ireland

10: Rugby union - Six Nations round four: Wales v France

10: Football - Women's FA Cup quarter-finals

11-17: Snooker - World Women's Championship, Dongguan, China

12-13: Football - Champions League last-16 second legs

12-15: Horse racing - Cheltenham Festival

14: Football - Europa League and Europa Conference League last-16 second legs

14-17: Golf - Players Championship, TPC Sawgrass, Florida

16: Rugby union - Six Nations round five: Wales v Italy, Ireland v Scotland, France v England

16-17: Football - FA Cup quarter-finals

19: Cricket - New Zealand v England, first women's Twenty20 international, Dunedin

19-20: Football - Women's Champions League quarter-finals first legs

21: Football - European Championship qualifying play-off semi-finals including Wales v Finland

22: Cricket - New Zealand v England, second women's Twenty20 international, Nelson

22: Football - Netherlands v Scotland, Amsterdam; Romania v Northern Ireland, Bucharest

22-24: Formula 1 - Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne

22-24: Rugby league - Challenge Cup sixth round (Super League clubs enter the competition)

23: Football - England v Brazil, Wembley Stadium

23: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round one: France v Ireland, Wales v Scotland

23 March to 29 May: Cricket - Indian Premier League

24: Cricket - New Zealand v England, third women's Twenty20 international, Nelson

24: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round one: Italy v England

25-26: Football - European Championship qualifying play-off finals

26: Football - England v Belgium, Wembley Stadium; Scotland v Northern Ireland, Hampden Park

27: Cricket - New Zealand v England, fourth women's Twenty20 international, Wellington

27-28: Football - Women's Champions League quarter-final second legs

29: Cricket - New Zealand v England, fifth women's Twenty20 international, Wellington

30: Rowing - The Boat Races, River Thames

30: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round two: Scotland v France, England v Wales

31: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round two: Ireland v Italy

31: Football - Women's League Cup Final, Molineux

April

2-7: Swimming - British Championships, London Aquatics Centre

4: Cricket - New Zealand v England, second women's one-day international, Wellington

5-7: Formula 1 - Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka

5-7: Rugby union - European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup round of 16

7: Cricket - New Zealand v England, third women's one-day international, Wellington

7: Football - EFL Trophy final, Wembley Stadium

9-10: Football - Champions League quarter-final first legs

11: Football - Europa League and European Conference League quarter-final first legs

11-14: Golf - Masters, Augusta National, Georgia

12-13: Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers including France v Great Britain

12-14: Rugby league - Challenge Cup quarter-finals

12-14: Rugby union - European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-finals

13: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round three: Scotland v England, Ireland v Wales

13: Horse racing - Grand National at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool

13-14: Rugby league - Challenge Cup quarter-finals

14: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round three: France v Italy

14: Football - Women's FA Cup semi-finals

16-17: Football - Champions League quarter-final second legs

18: Football - Europa League and Conference League quarter-final second legs

18-21: Golf - Women's major: The Chevron Championships, The Woodlands, Texas

19-21: Formula 1 - Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai

20: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round four: England v Ireland, Italy v Scotland

20: Cricket - Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy season starts

20-21: Football - FA Cup semi-finals, Wembley Stadium

20-21: Football - Women's Champions League semi-final first legs

20 April to 6 May: Snooker World Championship at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

21: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round four: Wales v France

27: Rugby union - Women's Six Nations round five: Wales v Italy, Ireland v Scotland, France v England

27-28: Football - Women's Champions League semi-final second legs

30 April to 1 May: Football - Champions League semi-final first legs

May

2: Football - Europa League and Europa Conference League semi-final first legs

3-5: Horse racing - Guineas Festival, Newmarket

3-5: Rugby union - European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup semi-finals

3-5: Formula 1 - Miami Grand Prix, Miami

4-5: Athletics - World Relays, Nassau, Bahamas

7-8: Football - Champions League semi-final second legs

9: Football - Europa League and Europa Conference League semi-final second legs

11: Cricket - England v Pakistan, first women's Twenty20 international, Edgbaston

12: Football - Women's FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium

16-19: Golf - US PGA Championship, Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville

17: Cricket - England v Pakistan, second women's Twenty20 international, Northampton

17-19: Formula 1 - Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Imola

18: Football - League One Play-off Final, Wembley Stadium

18: Cricket - Charlotte Edwards Cup begins

18-19: Rugby league - Challenge Cup semi-finals

19: Football - League Two Play-off Final, Wembley Stadium

19: Cricket - England v Pakistan, third women's Twenty20 international, Headingley

22: Football - Europa League final, Dublin Arena

22: Cricket - England v Pakistan first Twenty20 international, Headingley

23: Cricket - England v Pakistan, first women's one-day international, Derby

24: Football - Women's Champions League final, San Mames Stadium, Bilbao

24: Rugby union - European Challenge Cup final, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

24-26: Formula 1 - Monaco Grand Prix

24-26: Snooker - British Women's Open, Landywood Snooker Club, Walsall

25: Football - FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium

25: Football - Women's Champions League final, Bilbao

25: Cricket - England v Pakistan second Twenty20 international, Edgbaston

25: Rugby union - European Champions Cup final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

26: Football - Championship Play-off Final, Wembley Stadium

26: Cricket - England v Pakistan, second women's one-day international, Taunton

26 May to 9 June: Tennis - French Open, Paris

28: Cricket - England v Pakistan third Twenty20 international, Cardiff

29: Football - Europa Conference League final, Athens

29: Cricket - England v Pakistan, third women's one-day international, Chelmsford

30: Cricket - England v Pakistan fourth Twenty20 international, The Oval

30: Cricket - T20 Blast season begins with the Blast Off

30 May to 2 June: Golf - US Women's Open, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

June

1: Football - Champions League final, Wembley Stadium

4-30: Cricket - Men's T20 World Cup - hosts USA & West Indies (fixtures not announced yet)

7-9: Formula 1 - Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal

8: Rugby league - men's and women's Challenge Cup finals, Wembley

8: Rugby union - Premiership final, Twickenham

13-16: Golf - US Open, Pinehurst, North Carolina

14 June to 14 July: Football - Euro 2024, hosts Germany 

15-16: Motorsport - Le Mans 24 Hour, France

18-22: Horse racing - Royal Ascot

21-23: Formula 1 - Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona

21-23: Rugby union - Rugby Sevens Olympic Repechage, Monaco - GB men in final qualifying tournament for Paris 2024

22: Cricket - Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day, Derby

22: Rugby union - United Rugby Championship final, Cape Town

22: Rugby union - Women's Premiership Rugby final, venue TBC

22: Rugby union - Barbarians v Fiji, Twickenham

22-29: Tennis - Rothesay International, Eastbourne

24: Rugby union - Japan v England TBC

26: Cricket - England v New Zealand, first women's one-day international, Chester-le-Street

28-30: Formula 1 - Austrian Grand Prix, Spielberg

29: Cricket - England v New Zealand, second women's one-day international, Worcester

29 June to 2 July: Football - European Championship last-16 ties

29 June to 21 July: Cycling - Tour de France (starts in Italy)

July

1-14: Tennis - Wimbledon

3: Cricket - England v New Zealand, third women's one-day international, Bristol

5-6: Football - European Championship quarter-finals

5-7: Formula 1 - British Grand Prix, Silverstone

6: England v New Zealand, first women's Twenty20 international, Ageas Bowl

6: Rugby union - South Africa v Ireland (England, Wales & Scotland yet to confirm dates for their summer fixtures)

9: Cricket - England v New Zealand, second women's Twenty20 international, Hove

9-10: Football - European Championship semi-finals, Munich and Dortmund

10-14: Cricket - England v West Indies first Test, Lord's

11: Cricket - England v New Zealand, third women's Twenty20 international, Canterbury

11-14: Golf - Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick

13: Cricket - England v New Zealand, fourth women's Twenty20 international, Kia Oval

13: Rugby union - South Africa v Ireland

13-21: Darts - World Matchplay, Blackpool

14: Football - European Championship final, Berlin

17: Cricket - England v New Zealand, fifth women's Twenty20 international, Lord's

18-21: Golf - The Open, Royal Troon

18-22: Cricket - England v West Indies second Test, Trent Bridge

19-21: Formula 1 - Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest

24: Cricket - One-Day Cup season begins

26-28: Formula 1 - Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps

26-28: Golf - LIV United Kingdom, JCB Golf and Country Club, Rocester

26-30: Cricket - England v West Indies third Test, Edgbaston

26 July to 11 August: Olympic Games, Paris

August

Dates TBC - Cricket - The Hundred

2-4: Motorcycling - British Grand Prix MotoGP, Silverstone

4: Football - Community Shield, Wembley

12-18: Cycling - Women's Tour de France

14: Football - Uefa Super Cup, Warsaw, Poland

15-18: Golf - Women's Scottish Open, venue TBC

17: Football - 2024-2025 Premier League season starts

17-18: Rugby league - Super League Magic Weekend, Elland Road, Leeds

18: Cricket - One-Day Cup semi-finals

21-25: Cricket - England v Sri Lanka first Test, Old Trafford

22-25: Golf - Women's Open, St Andrews

23-25: Formula 1 - Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort

26 Aug to 8 Sept: Tennis - US Open, Flushing Meadows, New York

28 Aug to 8 Sept: Paralympic Games, Paris

29 Aug to 1 Sept: Golf - Tour Championship, Atlanta, Georgia

29 Aug to 2 Sept: Cricket - England v Sri Lanka second Test, Lord's

30 Aug to 1 Sept: Formula 1 - Italian Grand Prix, Monza

Dates TBC in August and September: Rugby Championship

September

3-6: Cricket - T20 Blast quarter-finals

5-7: Football - Nations League matchday one

6-10: Cricket - England v Sri Lanka third Test, Kia Oval

8-10: Football - Nations League matchday two

10-15: Tennis - Davis Cup Finals World Group II

11: Cricket - England v Australia first Twenty20 international, Ageas Bowl

13: Cricket - England v Australia second Twenty20 international, Cardiff

13-15: Golf - Solheim Cup, Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville, Virginia

Dates TBC in September & October: Cricket - Women's T20 World Cup, Bangladesh

13-15: Formula 1 - Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku

14: Cricket - T20 Blast Finals Day, Edgbaston

14: Cricket - Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy semi-finals

15: Cricket - England v Australia third Twenty20 international, Old Trafford

19: Cricket - England v Australia first one-day international, Trent Bridge

19-22: Golf - PGA Championship, Wentworth

20-22: Formula 1 - Singapore Grand Prix

20-22: Tennis - Laver Cup, Berlin

21: Cricket - England v Australia second one-day international, Headingley

21: Cricket - Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final, Leicester

22: Cricket - One-Day Cup final, Trent Bridge

24: Cricket - England v Australia third one-day international, Chester-le-Street

26-29: Cricket - final round of County Championship matches

26-29: Golf - Presidents Cup, Royal Montreal Golf Club, Quebec

27: Cricket - England v Australia fourth one-day international, Lord's

29: Cricket - England v Australia fifth one-day international, Bristol

Dates TBC in September & October: Cricket - Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh

October

10-12: Football - Nations League matchday three

12: Rugby league - Super League Grand Final, Old Trafford

13-15: Football - Nations League matchday four

18-20: Formula 1 - United States Grand Prix, Austin

19: Horse racing - British Champions Day, Ascot

25-27: Formula 1 - Mexican Grand Prix, Mexico City

November

1-3: Formula 1 - Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo

2: Rugby union - England v New Zealand, Twickenham (Wales, Scotland and Ireland yet to announce dates)

3-10: Tennis - WTA Finals, venue TBC

7-10: Golf - Abu Dhabi Championship

9: Rugby union - England v South Africa, Twickenham

9-17: Darts - Grand Slam of Darts, Wolverhampton

10-17: Tennis - ATP Finals, Turin

12-17: Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Seville

14-16: Football - Nations League matchday five

14-17: Golf - DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai

17-19: Football - Nations League matchday six

Dates TBC: Tennis - Davis Cup Finals, Malaga

21-23: Formula 1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix

21-24: Golf - Group Tour Championship, Naples, Florida

23 Nov to 1 Dec: Snooker - UK Championship, York Barbican

29 Nov to 1 Dec: Formula 1 - Qatar Grand Prix, Losail

December

6-8: Formula 1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina

8: Athletics - European Cross Country Championships, Antalya, Turkey

Dates TBC: Darts - PDC World Championship, Alexandra Palace, London

26: Horse racing - King George VI Chase, Kempton Park