Ahead of the upcoming On Premise Sports Report, CGA by NIQ has released key insights into how sports viewers interact with the on-premise.
With the NRL in full swing and the 2023 AFL season starting this week, it’s an ideal time for venues to be leveraging sports-viewing patrons. The latest consumer data reveals that almost a fifth (18 per cent) of consumers attend the on-premise to watch a live sports game. The most popular venues for watching sports are RSL/sports clubs and pubs. In general, the typical sports-watching consumer visits pubs more than the average. These consumers also have a higher average income, spend more at the on-premise, and tend to be suburban based and male.
Sports betting plays a large role in the live sports viewing experience. Sixty per cent of Australian consumers would be more likely to place a bet when watching a sporting event in a hospitality venue than if they were watching it home. Almost half of consumers would stay in the venue longer if they were participating in mobile sports betting, and around three in five consumers say they would order more drinks if they were betting on the game they were watching. This indicates an opportunity for partnerships between sports betting agencies and hospitality venues.
“The start of the 2023 AFL and NRL seasons is a key time for suppliers and operators to assess their sport occasion strategy, and identify which events are key for activations,” stated James Phillips, CGA’s client solutions director – ANZ.
“The AFL Grand Final, in late September, is the most popular large event consumers plan to visit hospitality venues for – demonstrating that keeping the on-premise live sports viewer engaged throughout the season will be key for venues showing live sports who are looking to drive higher levels of footfall. For drinks suppliers, maintaining advertising with a sporting theme will ensure consumers will recall your brand at key decision-making points during sports occasions.”
When it comes to drink choices, beer is the clear winner. Domestic beers are the most popular choice, but stocking imported beers ensures there are options for a wider range of consumers. Half of on-premise sports viewers consume from the wine and spirits categories. Value and quality are both important when choosing wine, with sports viewers more likely to purchase a bottle than order by the glass. For spirits, consumption of whisk(e)y, gin and liqueurs has increased year-on-year for sports viewers. Gin choice is usually driven by visibility on bar shelves and bartender recommendation. Whisk(e)y drinkers are primarily looking for value and discounts, which could be an opportunity to promote Whisk(e)y RTDs.
The upcoming CGA by NIQ report delves further into the habit of the sports-viewing consumer.