Why Sports Bars Should Target Drone Racing Fans

What do you think when you hear the word “drone”?

For some, it takes them immediately to the military use of drones to engage enemy combatants while risking fewer American lives in a forward base of operations. For others, however, the notion of drones being utilized to kill couldn’t be further from their minds. They see an incredible recreational diversion that has now morphed into its own version of a sport – one that is already being show on major TV networks like ESPN and NBC Sports Network.

What is Drone Racing and the DRL?

Let’s start by describing what drone racing is and how it works. The premier league right now is the Drone Racing League (DRL). They have credible contests around the country and deliver significant prizes to their champion pilots.

The racers themselves fly single design devices while wearing first person view (FPV) goggles that look much like any virtual reality rig on the market today. These pilots are actually seeing what the drone is traveling through in real time, greatly enhancing the challenge of flying and the excitement for spectators.

The stress is really high and burnout is a significant issue, but it also makes the competition feel more authentic when a driver responds physically to a crash or going off course. The technology allows for both the players’ view and the stadium view to be shared, making the spectator viewing experience even more rich than traditional sports.

For a sport that started in parking garages and abandoned malls to now being hosted in huge stadiums, it is a testament to how far drone racing has come in just the two years since the DRL started hosting a championship event.

Leveraging Drone Racing in Your Sports Bar

Where does all this fit into your content choices and giving guests what they want?

It’s fair to say that drone racing is still pretty obscure, but how obscure will it remain? With growing alternative forms of competition, including digital technology like eSports, it’s clear that this content will be even more relevant as the generations that have been raised on it come of age.

So, what can you do to leverage this new-fangled content at your restaurant now? Well, that’s the hard part. Yes, this is an up and coming sport, but no, there really isn’t an appetite for it polska-ed.com. But as we argued endlessly in our recent sports bar primer focusing on Winning with eSports, knowing what future generations want matters.

There could be several responses to this new potential content. To start, you can ignore it and wait until it actually matters. Alternatively, you could have some fun and find a local group that is doing something with drones. These will be interested viewers. Invite them to watch any live competitions that you are televised, much like any other professional sports fan club. Make a special offer that incentivizes them.

If these folks show up to enjoy the matches and see the sport played live, you will have won a few hearts and some extra dollars. It’s already so difficult to get new guests to cross your threshold. Activities like this are worthy of the effort. Even if you only get two new regular visitors from trying, you’ll have increased your bottom line in real terms.

Going the Extra Mile

Forth those “stout of heart” among you, why not create an event that you host surrounding a drone competition? There are plenty of amateur groups that would love to have a local competition. Your parking lot could be a great place for a small-scale event that showcases skills and has direct competition between racers. You don’t need a stadium, but you do need some imagination.

Sure, it sounds a little far-fetched, but much bigger events have grown from much more humble beginnings in the past.

Of course, this sport isn’t right for every operator. However, it is an example of how to look for opportunities to differentiate yourself from your competitors. By being innovative in how you invite people to your restaurant, you can actually connect with new customers and retain them. That should be your aim, no matter what strategy you employ.

Aim to be different and you may just find people like it.