CASE STUDY 006: Are Sports Really BringING Bars Back Up?

Sports are boosting local businesses, these businesses are boosting local sports. 

Everyone and their mother will chew your ear off about “Third Spaces” these days. They’ll site the rise of businesses like coffee shops as an example - a place for your run club, book club, or eclectic friend group to convene. These “Third Spaces” provide a neutral ground - a place that isn’t someone’s home, place of work, or a public space. Brands have invested massively in creating these spaces or partnering with existing businesses that have already done so, an effective strategy to congregate a group of captivated consumers and brand believers. 

If we look at professional sporting institutions, their historical “Third Spaces” have been a generational best friend to many - the local bar, pub, or watering hole. Today, all 20 Premier League clubs have a laundry list of “official bars” for fans to connect and take in a game as a community. Arsenal NYC, a registered Arsneal fan club, has nine official viewing bars listed on their website alone. That’s merely one league in one sport in one city.

In the post-COVID world, with the craving for IRL sporting experiences outside of the stadiums skyrocketing, it's not a surprise that the $2.2B sports bar market is projected to sustain its YoY growth with another 1.3% increase forecasted for 2025 (IBIS World). The growth of the sports bar market can arguably be isolated to the “sports” side of the equation, with 49% of Americans stating they will be reducing their alcohol consumption in 2025 according to an NC Solutions poll. Additionally, IBIS World’s study of the sports bar market found that real business-level differentiation was driven by “top-notch amenities amid growing competition. Key investments include cutting-edge technology like high-resolution screens and premium audio systems to attract and retain patrons.”

Sure, high-res flat screens are nice. But let’s be honest, that doesn’t tell the complete story when it comes to choosing your game-day establishment. Allow curiosity to kill the Cat here, what would you value most in selecting a place to catch the game? At Studio 14, we are genuinely curious - give us your hot takes, cold takes, and everything in between.