After weeks of anticipation, we finally know who will be dueling for the title of Super Bowl 47 Champ on February 3. If you’re a sports bar, you’re looking forward to the biggest night of the year. Here’s some tips for how you can ensure your bar is the best place in town to watch the final four quarters of the NFL season this year.
PROMOTE
Even if you’re not sure what your menu will be or how many drink specials you’ll have, yet, you need to let your own fans know that they can count on you for a Super Bowl blast they’ll really enjoy. Start promoting it now, so as people make plans for the night, they include your hot spot as the venue of choice! Just letting customers know you’re planning a party and that you’ll be open that night is a great start.
SUPER BOWL WORTHY TVS
Chances are, you have a TV or two in your bar already, but for the Super Bowl, you need to make sure every seat in the house has a large enough screen to catch all the action on. If you need to rent larger screens or add additional TVs, you should contact your local electronic rental company today and get a plan for delivery or installation if needed.
DECORATE
Get in the spirit of things with some Super Bowl 47 decor. If you’re on the East Coast, you may opt for
Baltimore Ravens jerseys, pendants, or pom-poms. If you’re on the West Coast, you will likely decorate in red and gold to show support to the San Francisco 49ers. Somewhere in the middle? Split your bar into sides or opt for a more neutral football-themed decor. Anyway you do it, the Super Bowl is a special day, so you want the game watchers to walk in and feel special, too. They probably don’t want to see your same everyday decor when it’s the big game day.
RE-ARRANGE YOUR FURNITURE
Does your
bar furniture all point toward the screens? Perhaps you need a few more bar stools or want to add some stack chairs or folding tables to make room for more guests. Make sure your restaurant seating is adequate and ample before the toss of the coin.
CHOOSE A MENU
Offer game munchies that are easy to share while concentrating on the score. Create new specials themed around the day. And decide what drinks you’ll be promoting during the game. You may want to do a 49 wing special (in tribute to the 49ers) or a Raven cocktail that’s purple in color and yummy in taste. Make sure the items are easy to understand, priced well, and somewhat simple. You may also want to talk to your vendors about having chips, popcorn, or extra nuts on hand.
CONSIDER A HALFTIME SHOW
Sure, your TVs will be tuned to the
real Halftime Show, but you could invent some entertainment of your own. Whether it’s a live band, an interactive guest game show (maybe a play on the “Harbowl”), or football on the Wii™, offering something extra fun for your guests may be a great break from the hardcore fan shouting and also edge out your own competition in the battle of the Super Bowl bars.
THINK ABOUT POST-GAME MARKETING
Is there a fun way to collect some guest information during the game festivities, so you can re-market to them post-game? If your bar does email marketing, you may want to target a message to fans about all the great stuff you have going on, even after the NFL season ends. Want to try a direct mail piece, or how about going mobile? Be sure to collect some information from your Super Bowl customers, so you can continue to let them know about your events, specials, and every day happenings.
Have you had successful Super Bowl parties in the past? Let us know how your bar keeps your customers cheering all game long!
