8 Tips to Drive More Bookings for Sports Events at Your Pub or Bar

Why are sports events important for pubs and bars? 

Sporting events bring people together in ways few other activities can. Fans flock to pubs to experience the camaraderie of cheering for their team, the collective excitement of pivotal moments or the comfort of shared disappointment when things don’t go their way. 

For pubs and bars, this translates into benefits that include: 

Major sports events in the UK and worldwide in 2025 

From rugby to tennis, 2025 is packed with unmissable sporting events that are likely to draw large audiences: 

8 ways to capitalise on sports events in your pub or bar  

If you want to make the most of the next big sports event in your venue, here are eight strategies to help you pack the house, keep the pints flowing and make every game a success. 

1. Start early with targeted marketing 

The success of your venue during sports events begins weeks in advance. To make sure your place is fully booked for matchday, you need an effective marketing strategy in place.  

Start by leveraging your hospitality CRM system to segment your customer database. Identify regular sports attendees and those who have previously booked for major events, notifying them about your next big event and why they shouldn't miss it. Personalise your communication (personalise by name, use purchase history or attendance data to make your messages feel relevant) to get a much better response. Next, get creative with your emails by testing different formats and messages. With tools like Acteol CRM, creating attention-grabbing emails is easier than ever thanks to its AI-powered subject line generator.   

SMS marketing is another powerful tool that can drive immediacy. SMS boasts 98% open rates and 40% of texts are read within 5 minutes of being delivered, which is why it's worth considering this strategy, particularly in the days leading up to and on the day of the event.  

For your social media strategy, focus on engaging content and consistency. Create event countdowns, polls about game predictions or sneak peeks of your matchday setup. Boost visibility by promoting posts to local audiences with interests in sports and ensure your social profiles link directly to your booking system for seamless conversions. 

Lastly, don't forget to notify and entice your loyalty members, whether with early access to bookings or exclusive perks, like priority seating, a complimentary drink with pre-orders or by creating limited-edition rewards.  

2. Maximise online visibility 

When sports fans are deciding where to watch the next big game, they’re likely heading online to search for venues. Making sure your pub or bar stands out means covering all the bases: 

3. Make bookings and payments effortless for your guests 

Once your marketing has brought in interest, the next step is turning potential customers into confirmed bookings and ensuring their experience is seamless from start to finish. 

4. Enhance the gameday experience  

These days, customers have plenty of options for where to watch their favourite team, so one way to stand out is by making their experience fun and truly unique. 

A great way to keep fans engaged is through your Guest Wi-Fi, such as Wireless Social. Its Activate feature transforms your Wi-Fi into an interactive game zone, letting customers guess match outcomes through the login journey. This adds an extra layer of excitement to their visit, encouraging friendly competition and keeping the energy high throughout the game. Offering rewards or exclusive deals for accurate predictions makes the experience even more memorable. 

While your guests enjoy the interactive fun, you’re also collecting valuable data, which can be used in real-time to tailor offers during the event or in future marketing campaigns to keep customers coming back. Our stats from the Super Bowl 2024 show just how powerful these tools can be: new visitor logins on Guest Wi-Fi increased by 92% compared to regular Sundays, with more than half of these being first-time customers. 

By combining entertainment with insights, Guest Wi-Fi becomes a powerful tool to enhance the matchday experience and build stronger connections with your audience. 

5. Prepare your staff for game day  

When matchday rolls around, your team will be your most valuable asset in delivering a smooth and memorable experience. To ensure success, preparation should be done well before the first whistle blows. 

Start by training your team on expected demand and service flow. Organise a pre-event briefing to discuss the schedule, menu changes and any special promotions or offers. Assign staff roles with a focus on specific duties such as bar service, food orders or customer management, ensuring that everyone knows their responsibilities and can work in sync. Make sure your team understands what’s special about the day’s event—whether it’s a limited-edition cocktail, special food offers or VIP packages. This allows them to answer questions confidently and upsell effectively, which can increase revenue. 

Additionally, staff appropriately for peak periods. On busy matchdays, you may need more servers or bartenders, especially during high-traffic times such as half-time or post-game rushes. If you have gaps that need to be filled, consider hiring temporary agency workers or employees from other, less busy venues.  

6. Ensure your venue is fully prepared  

Hosting a successful sports event at your venue takes more than just turning on the TV and waiting for customers to show up. 

Start by ensuring all your technology is in perfect working order. Double-check your TVs, sound systems and Wi-Fi connections well in advance. If there’s any chance of glitches, it’s worth having technical support on standby, so nothing disrupts the big game. 

Sports events are notorious for their high demand for drinks and snacks. During the Euro 2024 final, beer sales shot up by 334%, with an overall increase of 124% across the tournament. To stay ahead, review your stock levels and make sure you’re well-prepared with essentials like beer, tissues, napkins, cutlery and plenty of glasses. Use your pub EPoS data from past events to forecast what you’ll need. Forecasting will also help you avoid unnecessary costs and waste.  

For larger events like the Champions League final or the Six Nations, consider optimising your space to accommodate the crowd. Adjust your table layout to fit more seating, set up zones for group bookings and ensure any extra equipment—like additional screens or portable seating—is ready to go well before matchday. The less scrambling you have to do at the last minute, the better the experience will be for your guests. 

7. Have contingency plans for the unexpected 

Even with careful planning, unexpected challenges can arise on matchday. That’s why having a solid contingency plan is essential to keep things running smoothly, no matter what comes your way. 

For example, if there’s a sudden surge in walk-ins, you’ll want to accommodate them without frustrating customers who’ve already booked. An adaptable reservation system like Access Collins can help by letting you track real-time availability and even manage overflow with a waitlist feature. This way, everyone feels looked after, whether they’re seated right away or waiting for the next table. 

Technical issues are another common hiccup during busy events. Be ready with backup solutions, such as mobile devices with streaming data in case your primary broadcast goes down.  

High-traffic events can also lead to worries about dine-and-dash incidents. To minimise this risk, consider requiring pre-payment or deposits for high-demand reservations, especially for table service. You can also use mobile or QR code ordering, which not only streamlines service but also reduces the chance of unregistered guests leaving without paying. 

8. Build long-term loyalty post-event 

The match may end, but your relationship with customers doesn't have to. The real opportunity lies in turning those one-time matchday visitors into regulars who return for future events and beyond. Research indicates it can be at least five times more cost-effective to retain existing customers than to attract new ones. For pubs and bars, this makes loyalty a crucial strategy for growth and stability. 

After the event, engage with attendees through follow-up communication. Using your CRM system, send personalised thank-you emails with a recap of the event, exclusive offers or an invitation to your next major event. A simple gesture like a post-event discount or an exclusive preview of upcoming matches can go a long way. 

Loyalty programs are also a powerful tool to foster repeat business. For example, if your venue offers a loyalty app, consider integrating features that reward customers for attending sports events. This could include points for booking a table, discounts on future visits or even special “members-only” events. 

Turn the next big game into a success in your pub or bar with Access Hospitality solutions 

Major sports events are a great chance for pubs and bars to bring in more customers, boost sales and keep fans coming back for future games. But as we’ve explored in this article, success on matchday doesn’t just happen—it takes careful planning, engaging ideas and the right tools to make everything run smoothly. 

From filling seats with smart marketing to creating a lively matchday atmosphere and keeping operations seamless, every detail matters when it comes to hosting a successful event. With Access Hospitality solutions like Acteol CRM, Collins Reservation System, Wireless Social, and Access EPoS, you can: 

Whether it’s the Six Nations, the Super Bowl or a local derby, Access Hospitality solutions can help your venue deliver a smooth, enjoyable experience for your customers and keep them coming back. Get in touch today to learn how Access Hospitality tools can help you make the next big game a win for your venue.