High-tech and High-touch,
Today’s Sport Bars Focus
on Quality Food, Drinks and
Entertainment
By Glenn Haussman
Like everything else in life, sports bars are continually changing and evolving. And just like on the
playing field, it’s all about amping up the
action. Rapidly shifting consumer tastes
and desires are combining with ever-savvier owners, resulting in next-wave
concepts that are once again reinventing
the notion of what exactly comprises a
sports bar.
Long gone are the days when a venue
could air The Big Game on a 25-inch
television behind the bar and call itself
a sports bar. To compete in today’s
crowded marketplace, it’s critical to discover new ways to create excitement so
your customers think of you first when
it’s time to choose a venue at which to
cheer their favorite team.
Today’s establishments have totally
redefined this genre, in many cases
blending elements of other successful dining and nightclub concepts. And
developers of these next-generation
sports bars find customers are responding not only with loyalty but also
with their wallets.
So what are patrons are looking for today? As with guests of most segments
of the industry, the mantra these days
for sport-minded patrons is more options
and more value. And those establishments mastering both categories are
reaching the finish line quickest.
“You used to get by with one TV,
but now it’s bigger and better. You
can’t have too many TVs with many
choices and options,” says David Commer, president of Commer Beverage
Consulting. “It’s critical that anyone can
watch anything they want, even if that
means watching a tennis match during
the Super Bowl.”
Additionally, people must feel as if
they’re getting their money’s worth. “You
need to have added value. You have to
ask why someone is going to seek out
your venue rather than another,” explains
Corey Nyman, director of operations
with The Nyman Group, a consulting and
restaurant management company.
Commer agrees. “One of the mistakes operators do is confuse value
with cheap — cheap is not always
cheap. Value in this instance needs to be
Next-Gen
BARS
