It's a sports fan's dream. Over countless pints and bowls of hot chips, we ponder the topic of discussion.
If you were given a blank canvas and tasked with creating the ultimate sports bar, what would you do?
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The Warriors embarked on their own journey and completed step one. I found a theme pub location. We hope this pub will become the best sports he bar in New Zealand.
The remaining steps are not so clear. Things like TV placement, food and drink menus, special event hours, whether to include gambling options, and getting the perfect memorabilia to decorate the walls all need to be taken care of before the doors open.
Why do people like sports bars?
said Otis Shapiro, owner of Shapiro's Sports Bar in Oakland. herald.
“What makes a really good sports bar, and what makes a great sporting event, whether it's a bar or a stadium, is the atmosphere. It all has to do with the atmosphere, what gets people in the door, whether it's a TV or a stadium. Starting from souvenirs, to drinks and service, we also provide other things such as hospitality as appropriate.”
Gerrick Newman, director of hospitality design studio Mille, which designed Shapiro's, says it's the little things that most patrons don't notice that can transform a sports bar from an overnight adventure to a regular watering hole. Agree. .
“The reason these things succeed and make you feel good is not just because of the TV or the memorabilia or the food, but because of all the 1 percent that accumulate in these spaces.
“It's all those little touches. You can find them in any great restaurant, cafe or bar. You'll never be able to explain it. You'll be able to say this and that. But Joe and John's The average person will come in and say, “I love this place,'' or “Oh, I kind of hate this place.''
Roman Knut, who co-owns The Locker Room Sports Bar in Queenstown with his friend Hayden Davison, says the sense of community is why people flock to sports bars to cheer on their teams. I feel that there is.
“For me, sports is about bringing communities together, taking random people who don't know each other before, watching their team or the other team, and seeing something in common. It makes you do that.”
Hospitality NZ chief executive Steve Armitage agrees with Knutt that the real purpose of a sports bar is to create a space for people to come together and share their love of sport.
“Great sports bars bring people together. Being able to spend time with friends, whānau and other fans in a relaxed atmosphere is what we love. New Zealanders love sports of all kinds. I love it, and sports bars give the public the opportunity to watch big games that they might not be able to watch at home.”
“Lots of TV”
Knutt argues that TV programming can make or break a sports bar, and the secret to success is making sure to cover each sport's bases.
“The inclusivity of all sports is probably the most important thing…AFL, NRL, NFL, you have to be interested in all of them because New Zealand has people from all over the world.”
It’s important to understand and respond to your patrons.
“The most popular sport in Queenstown is probably AFL, which is surprising because we get a lot of tourists from Australia. And NRL and Super Rugby would probably come in third place.”
He emphasizes that giving participants choice is the key to a memorable experience.
“We have at least five different channels available at any given time in our sports bar. I think we have 19 TVs right now. I think we need tons of TVs.
“At the end of the day, people are going to watch multiple events. Maybe the Warriors will be playing at the same time as the Highlanders all week… to be honest, as many TVs as possible… You’ll want as many as you can fit on your wall.”
TV placement, lighting and seating arrangements are all part of the 1 percent that Numan alludes to, but he says music is often overlooked.
“I had to adjust the TV to the right angle, try out 3D models to make sure it was perfect, and ask other experts to make sure everything was right. I definitely say it's the 1 percent of everything. The comfort, the good lighting, the good food…all of those things add up to a feeling of, “Oh my God, I love this place.'' .
“Music is a big thing. If you have a poor system with no bass and you didn't make good choices, everything changes. [of music] It's not bright, it just feels weird. ”
take sports seriously
Few places in New Zealand can boast a collection of memorabilia, including items signed by Michael Vick, Allen Iverson and Alessandro Del Piero, but Shapiro's does.
“I’m a sports enthusiast, and I really enjoyed collecting sports,” Shapiro says. “It really gives this place an authenticity. It makes you feel like you're watching the game in a special place.
“If you go to any other sports bar around town, they'll probably be packed for the big game. The All Blacks fill up hundreds of bars around town. You might be in a friend's lounge or something. I don't feel like I'm in a special place.”
Displaying items that are a little more niche, he says, adds authenticity and proves that he and his business are first and foremost sports fans.
“There’s some pretty obscure stuff around this place, but I think it’s important to have people who are really interested in that kind of sport appreciate it and give this place some authenticity and give it some perspective on what we think about the sport.” I wanted people to understand how serious I am about this.”
In the locker room, memorabilia adds a local feel. In addition to signed Steven Adams and All Blacks jerseys, there are also several local teams.
“I think this is a nice touch and I think it's very important,” Knutt said. “For example, in our bar, we have several teams we sponsor on the wall. We have the Queenstown hockey team and they signed our jerseys for us.”
Avid sports fans can tell whether a collection of memorabilia has been carefully selected or the result of a charity auction.
Thank you for your understanding.
Shapiro and Knutt agree that identifying what excites your customer base is the key to running a successful sports bar. However, they differ in methodology.
“We don't really host a lot of events, we just try to promote things that we know will get people to fill the venue,” Shapiro says.
“We've been open for two years, so it's very easy to identify what people want to see and what will draw crowds. Right now, the Warriors will draw big crowds, but at first That won't be the case this year. Big American events like pay-per-view UFC events, the Super Bowl, and the NBA Playoffs draw large crowds.
The locker room uses social media to inform participants of big events happening that week, hoping to avoid countless phone calls like, “Can you watch the UFC this weekend?” There is.
“I think it's really important to let people know if you're opening for something special or showing something,” Knutt says.
He is keeping an eye on the European Football Championships, which will be held in Germany in June this year, and will be of great interest, especially in Queenstown, which has a large European population.
Catering to your customer base's sports interests is perhaps the most important intangible asset you can bring to sports bar ownership.
Quiz nights are a proven way to bring people in on a quiet evening, hence why it's Tuesday Quiz Night. Partnering with local sports also helps bars become part of the community.
“Sports bars are an integral part of their cities and towns and can help foster a true sense of community by hosting events such as trivia nights or teaming up with local teams and clubs. ” says Knutt.
food and beverages
When customers come through your door and marvel at Carlos Spencer's autographed Blues jersey on the wall, they'll be looking for one thing: the menu.
Whether it's liquid lunches or hot dishes fresh off the grill, it's the food and drinks that ultimately draw patrons. Shapiro said visitors for casual dinners and “a few beers” keep business going during the slow season.
“Food and drink are very important if you want to have a sustainable business that makes money. How many times a week do you pack for a sporting event? If you're lucky, you average about two times a year. So if the food and drinks are pretty bad the rest of the time, there's no reason to come.
Human life seems to revolve around breaking bread together. Armitage theorizes that food and drink are just as much a part of the experience as what games are being played on the TV.
“Food and drink selection is also important. Fans heading to the bar will be staying at the venue for a significant amount of time, so having a variety of things for attendees to eat and drink is a big part of the experience. .”
The magic of winning tickets
Shapiro and Knutt also agree on attitudes toward gambling. They acknowledge that watching sports and gambling have a long history, but draw the line at offering slot machines in bars.
“It goes against my morals. People who use slot machines are generally in a pretty bad situation, right?” Shapiro says.
Shapiro's has one TAB machine that bettors can use to place bets and receive physical tickets. Shapiro remembered going to TAB to place bets ahead of weekend NRL games and wanted to add a touch of nostalgia.
“I really like having a ticket. The excitement of having an actual ticket and waving it around while watching the game is kind of cool. It's kind of gone away now, though. [with the rise of online gambling]it has a bit of a nostalgic feel to it, and I think people will appreciate it.
“We don't make any money off of it. I think our total income last year was $1,500 or so.”
The locker room follows a similar approach, with only one TAB machine and no slot machines. Knutt said sports games and gambling can be combined for a bit of fun, but pokies aren't interested in providing that.
“People like to make a little bet on their team and stuff like that. It's a little bit of fun, too.”
These five ingredients are staples of sports bar recipes, but it's how they come together that separates the good from the good. One percent is something a customer can't explain to a friend, but can tell them the name of the bar and its location.
Will Toogood is NZ Herald. He previously worked with Newstalk ZB's digital team and Waiheke's. gulf newscovering sports and events.
