Ahead of a major summer of sport, KAM and Sky have partnered to gain insight around the value of live sport to pubs; the opportunities available to them by showing it, and what pub goers are looking for when it comes to live sport in pubs.

KAM’s The Summer of Sport 2022 White Paper which launched on 27 June, states that 76% of operators are looking forward to the upcoming summer of sport with 82% of them saying that a profitable summer trading is important to the future success of their pub. Two thirds of operators said that live sport on TV will have a direct influence on attracting customers to their venue, making them stay longer and spend more when they are there.

Katy Moses, MD at KAM said “There's nothing quite like live sport when it comes to bringing people together. Whether your customers are hard core sports fans, follow an individual team or player, or just casually watch from time to time, watching live sport in a pub plays a key role in creating a great atmosphere and connecting people from all walks of life.”

“Those pubs which can deliver on the atmosphere and the experience of live sport will be the ones which can realise the biggest opportunity which this summer promises. Driving both footfall, dwell time and spend (on both food and drinks) are all key 'wins' that pubs can benefit from, if they can get their offer right.”

Encouragingly, the research suggests that consumers are going to deliver on operators’ expectations with two in three customers saying that live sport on TV will make them visit more and spend more in a pub this summer.  And, of those operators asked, they expect an incremental increase of over £13 per head per customer on big sporting occasions.

Natalie Coleshill from The Milford Arms in Isleworth said: “There is no doubt that sports drive a lot of our footfall – it gives people a reason to get out and go to the pub. Spend is much greater around sporting events for us, we also see dwell time increase as customers come in earlier to ensure they get the best seats.”

With live sport including Summer Rugby Internationals, Wimbledon, fast paced action in Formula 1, international cricket with every England home Test match, ODI and T20 from the men’s and women’s games, the 150th Open Championship and the return of domestic football at the end of July, there’s plenty of sporting content to deliver the excitement, glory and of course, the heartbreak that pub going sports fans are looking for.

There’s also an opportunity for pubs to attract a new and diverse customer base with the Women’s Euros taking place at the start of July and the Commonwealth Games commencing at the end of July, creating even more of trading opportunity, especially for hospitality premises based in Birmingham.

Damian Saunders, Managing Director of Sky Business said: “It's clear from KAM’s research that 2022 is shaping up to be both a big summer for sport and the hospitality sector. Pubs, clubs and bars were sorely missed by customers during Covid and there is a real desire from customers to get out and support their local in 2022.

“Sport can give people a reason to leave their homes and head to the pub. And it has the power to bring us together.

“As we look ahead to the summer and beyond, it’s great to see there is an array of sport that will attract consumers from their homes and into licensed premises, so it’s about supercharging those moments and getting the most out of them to help to deliver a boost to the sector.”

To read KAM’s The Summer of Sport 2022 White Paper, please click here.

Watch a video of what publicans and customers say about the upcoming summer of sport here.