For Australian publicans, summer presents one of the biggest opportunities to keep venues buzzing with customers from day to night. While the footy codes may take a break over the warmer months, the sports calendar is anything but quiet, and the smartest operators know how to use it to drive consistent trade.
From October through March, venues can tap into a wall-to-wall schedule of live sport that spans every time zone and appeals to a wide cross-section of customers. The key is not only putting sport on screen, but using it as a hook to maximise dwell time, food and beverage spend, and repeat visitation.
Day trade is stronger than ever
Daytime sport is one of the biggest levers for summer. Cricket dominates across multiple formats, from the Men’s Ashes to the Big Bash, with afternoon matches perfect for drawing in groups looking to enjoy a session in the sun. Alongside that, ESPN delivers all four major US codes – NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB – live across the day, offering non-stop action for fans who want to follow their teams in real time.
This creates a natural opportunity for venues to turn traditionally quieter periods into busy trading sessions, positioning themselves as the place to catch every ball, basket, or touchdown live.
Evenings packed with entertainment
Summer nights also bring big-ticket content to screens. The Weber WBBL and KFC BBL fill weeknights with fast-paced cricket, while international events like UFC pay-per-views, boxing cards, and Formula 1 light up weekends. Add in the NBL and A-League, and there’s compelling sport every evening to keep patrons coming back.
By programming sport strategically – from afternoon cricket into an evening of BBL, or from Sunday NFL straight into UFC – venues can keep customers on-premise longer, with more occasions to buy food and drink.
Tools to maximise the opportunity
To fully capitalise on the summer schedule, venues can leverage Foxtel’s Business iQ features that enhance engagement and drive spend. Live Messaging allows operators to push food and drink specials in real time, while The Vault offers a sport VOD library perfect for filling downtime between live sporting events. Digital signage can showcase upcoming fixtures, ensuring customers know what’s on and when.
By pairing live sport with smart in-venue marketing, publicans can increase average spend per head and keep customers coming back throughout the season.
Make summer sport work for you
The summer sports calendar is stacked: cricket, basketball, NFL playoffs, netball internationals, Supercars, golf, sailing, and more.
For publicans, this means months of ready-made reasons for patrons to walk through the door, whether it’s a weekday afternoon session or a weekend fight card.
With the right strategy and the right tools, summer sport can be just as powerful for trade as winter footy. The venues that embrace this will be the ones that turn the long, hot months into their most profitable season of the year.
Business iQ can help elevate the sports offer at any venue and allow you to create your own individual sports-viewing experience that will make your pub stand out from the crowd. For more information on Business iQ, visit www.foxtel.com.au/venues or call 1300 761 056.