The FIFA World Cup is back and, as always, it presents itself as a unique marketing opportunity for bars willing to put in a little extra effort.
In fact, 63% of soccer fans who watch the World Cup do so in groups of three or more. But they won’t magically appear.
“If you build it, they will come” sadly only works in fantasy-sport films. In the real world, no one will show up unless they know about it. And that goes for the World Cup.
If you want to make the World Cup worthwhile, you need to promote it – and you need to promote it where soccer fans are looking, then deliver the best viewing experience you can.
⚽ How to get in front of new World Cup fans
Unless you’re operating a dedicated soccer pub in the U.S., most World Cup fans aren’t necessarily going to think about swinging by your venue for the games. And your regulars may not be as interested in the World Cup as in other sports.
However, there are tons of fans out there ready for the tournament. It’s just a matter of getting your brand in front of them and letting them know your bar will have their World Cup match on TV.
The power of search.
Although soccer may not be as popular in the U.S. as in other countries, their fans are just as dedicated and – dear we say – rabid. And they’re going to watch their favorite countries compete on the pitch.
This means they’re going to be actively looking for a place to watch the games online – through search engines and AI chatbots.
The easiest way to get found is with a FANZO Venues profile. FANZO is the world’s #1 bar finder. In fact, FANZO connected more than 6 million sports fans with bars last year alone.
By having a profile, you’ll appear when World Cup fans search for games on the FANZO app, as well as search for terms like “best bars showing the World Cup tonight,” “USA vs Paraguay sports bar near me” or “Where to watch the World Cup.”
Drive new fans through your website.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re promoting the games on your bar’s website, too. Nearly 80% of sports fans check out a bar’s digital presence before deciding to visit.
One fan said, “If they don’t take sports seriously online, I don’t believe they take it seriously in venue.”
You could painstakingly list every match you plan to show on your website, or you can copy & paste a simple code from FANZO directly into your website. It’ll automatically update with your game schedule, so you can get back to serving guests.
Team up with soccer fan clubs (aka “supporters”).
Another option is to market to large groups of fans at once – such as fan clubs or supporter groups.
Working with fan clubs can help ensure that you will have a full house at the start of kickoff. We’ve gone into detail how you can start and grow your own fan club.
Think beyond just the U.S. If your bar or restaurant operates in high-density immigrant neighborhoods, make sure to have their national teams on your screens. Consider teaming up with cultural centers and cultural groups (Italian-American, French-American, etc.). Not all of these organizations have a bar and TV of their own.
Think outside the box of organizations you can work with that want to watch the World Cup.
At minimum, you’ll want to promote the games that match the ancestral home of your locals.
👀 Let your current guests and followers know through email and social
While it's always nice to bring in new guests that you can convert into regulars, don't forget about your existing client base. No doubt that there are some soccer diehards within your following, so it's important to loop them into your World Cup plans.
Email is still your bar's best friend.
Email continues to be one of the best marketing avenues available to you. While large social media companies force you to pay to access your followers, you have full control over your email list.
This can be as simple as listing out the day, time and teams; uploading and sending your FANZO social media asset (see below); or sending a screenshot of your SportsTV Guide.
The bottom line is you want to let your current customers know that you're taking the World Cup seriously this year.
Engage fans on social media.
While social media has its drawback (organic reach), it's still a hotbed of sports talk – World Cup included.
With your FANZO profile, you can promote your World Cup matches with their automated social media assets. Just a few clicks and professionally designed graphics will automatically post on your Facebook and Instagram accounts every week.
Marketing the tournament should be on-going.
Consider posting photos of fans watching the games at your venue and capture video of folks celebrating after big goals. You want to lean into FOMO to get other fans to show up for the next match.
You can also encourage user-generated content with a photo booth, memorabilia, and catchy hashtags.
🎮 Engage World Cup fans on match day
Getting folks into your bar is just half the battle. The other half is making it an enjoyable experience.
There’s no stronger marketing campaign than word-of-mouth from fans who have visited your bar and had a great time. If you market hard but then treat the tournament as an afterthought, you’ve killed your brand and reputation.
So make sure you’re showing the matches your guests want to watch and serve up the best World Cup viewing experience you can. Here’s a few ways to do it.
🔊 Lean into live game audio. Game audio is sometimes a disadvantage for sports bars showing the average game. But for big events like the World Cup, you’d be doing fans a disservice if you ignored it. Let the color commentators and roar of the live crowd fuel the energy inside your bar.
🍗 Build a matchday menu. Always a sports bar classic. You can build a menu around the countries playing or dishes inspired by well-known players. And don’t forget your beverage menu (non-alcoholic, too).
⚽ Run a bracket program. Why let the NCAA March Madness have all the fun? After the pools are done and the World Cup hits elimination, have guests fill out a Knockout Round Bracket with who they think will be champs this year.
If you want to spread the gamification earlier, have guests predict the winners of each pool.
💖 Have a World Cup loyalty program. Another bar classic, entice fans to keep coming back even if their country gets eliminated with a LTO loyalty program. Every time they come to visit your bar to watch a match, they get a stamp. They can cash in on discounts or other prizes for hitting certain thresholds on their card.
BONUS: Market future events. Use the energy of the World Cup to market your future events – be it other World Cup matches, Major League Soccer (MLS), whiskey tastings, trivia nights, or more. Use your digital screenage or go old school with tabletop tents and wall posters. Remember: guests won’t show if they don’t know it’s happening.
Good luck this World Cup and let us know how we can help!
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