Host the Ultimate Game Watch Party for Your Fan Club

By Nathan Hirsch & Symon Perriman

It’s the big day —  GAMEDAY!!! You’ve done all of this hard work to find an ideal team and grow their local fan club chapter. Now you need to host those fans coming to cheer on their team and give them a stadium-like experience that will keep them coming back for more. Here’s how to do that from FanWide’s Guide to Starting and Growing a Fan Club in your Sports Bar.

Do a Systems Check

The most important thing is making sure that everyone can enjoy the game, so feature it on the best TVs and you must include audible sound. Test the channel in advance, especially if you are streaming the game over the Internet.

If the Internet quality is questionable, switch off any non-essential Wi-Fi so that the public is not consuming your precious bandwidth. Nothing would be worse than getting pumped to watch the game, and then having technical difficulties which ruin everyone’s good time – and your reputation!

Communicate Clearly with Fan Club Leaders

Understand the layout of your establishment to know if you can comfortably host multiple watch party events at the same time, providing each group with a dedicated space, TVs (with sound), and staff. If you host multiple groups, make sure that there is clear separation between the fan clubs and try to let the fan club leaders know in advance that it will be a full house, so that they can try to set expectations with their members that service could be slower than usual.

Also try to make it obvious about where sections are for each fan club by using printed signs. If you are managing a large bar, then post these signs on the front door and by the host stand so that fans feel welcomed as soon as they arrive.

Be careful if you host rival fan clubs whose teams are meeting on the field, as this can cause tension in your bar. It is always good to check in with both fan club leaders before the event to make sure that everyone can participate and be respectful of each other and your establishment. If you or either party thinks that it is bad idea to combine the fans, then suggest that the group which has been there for the shortest time find a new location for that week. This is inconvenient and you could upset the group, but if it is interest of safety, it is the right thing to do.

Help the displaced chapter find a new home for the week through your contacts or refer them to FanWide.com so they can easily get matched with another local bar. If you want your restaurant considered for an overflow or backup location for other fan clubs, make sure you get in contact with FanWide.

Don’t Forget the Details

The small things can matter when putting on an event like this. Consider playing background music like the team’s fight songs, chants, and victory cheers throughout the game to keep the atmosphere lively. Another best practice is to offer food and beverages from their team’s stadium or city, making it feel like home to those fans.

But what if you don’t have some massive smoker out back where you can cook Texas-style BBQ for hundreds of people? Well take the initiative and work with the leader of your chapter to see if they have recommendations for other local businesses to partner with. This extra effort really makes the fans come out. Preordering food and creating buffets will make it easier on your staff as they know food is already prepared, and they can spend more time keeping the drinks flowing, which also increases their tips and maximizes your profit margins.

Make it More than Just a Game

Consider getting a team-themed raffle prize, such as a t-shirt or an autographed photo. For as little as $25 you can add a fun and engaging element to every watch party. Run the raffle after the game ends to keep people around for its entirety, even if the game is a blowout. You will quickly recoup the cost of the prize from the extra drink sales from your guests.

Free raffle entries are also a great way to collect email addresses to build your marketing contact list cialis generico prezzo. Make sure you note the team they support when you add them to your email list. Also use the microphone before the game and during intermissions to remind people to stay for the raffle and to promote future events at your establishment. Stay off the mic during game time so that you don’t interfere with the viewing experience. College alumni associations will often give you extra prizes or merchandise for bringing their alumni together at in-person events.

An Important Gameday Legal Matter

One important legal reminder is that you usually cannot charge an entry fee to watch games that are broadcast on TV through your regular channel subscription. This is because each league has a contract with the broadcasters which explicitly prohibit this, even if it for a charity event, and you may get cease and desist order.

You can charge a cover fee for a pay-per-view (PPV) event like boxing, UFC or WWE, so long as your bar is paying for that specific events through an authorized distributor, because they will charge you based on your bar’s capacity.

Review

So, there you have it, make the fans feel like they are at home and host a great event. Give them a gameday experience like they are inside the stadium of their favorite team, no matter where you are located. Offer local food or drink, be cautious about bringing in fan clubs from rival teams, run raffles to keep people around throughout the game, and make the group feel welcome.

This community could become one of your biggest revenue sources, so cultivate the relationship so that it can thrive and give them no reason to want to move. Next, we will give you tips for engaging fans even after the season ends.