Live sports have always been a huge drawcard for pubs, clubs and sports bars, but the importance of this offer is now crucial. According to the latest On-Premise User Survey (OPUS) report by CGA by NIQ, consumers are turning away from traditional food- and beverage-led outings such as restaurants and cafes, and favouring venues with a diverse offering, like pubs and clubs.
Getting more ‘bang for your buck’ is a key consideration for consumers looking to get more than just a drink or a meal when they go out. Live sport has always been one of the levers that attracts patrons to these venues, but getting your live sports mix right is crucial to enticing new patrons.
New crowds drawn to boxing
While the footy codes may remain the most popular sports to watch in Australia, the trends are changing – and in particular with the under-40 crowd. According to The Growth Distillery’s ‘Sporting Nation’ report published earlier this year, boxing has seen a huge increase in followers in Australia in the under-40 age bracket in the last two years.
In that time, the number of boxing fans has grown by 41 percent, with 279,000 new boxing devotees across the country. The growth figures are similar to those of tennis (293k) and Rugby League (290k), and considerably more than sports like Rugby (194k).
Importantly, women make up forty per cent of those new boxings fans – driving a whole new crowd towards pubs’ sports bars.
Tapping into this new fan base, Entain Venues Live has exclusive-to-venue DAZN boxing content from around the world that will have great appeal for this new set of under-40 boxing fans. Entain Venues first announced its partnership with global entertainment platform DAZN in late April, kicking off the partnership with the live broadcast of Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney in New York.
With this new content now available direct to venues in Australia, getting in early and taking advantage of this slew of new boxing matches means pubs have another offering to draw in first-time patrons and increase dwell time. At market-friendly prices, Entain Venues Live is helping venues build an exciting value offering with patrons through one of the fastest-growing sports in Australia.
“Our offering will bring a more accessible solution for venues, and we look forward to partnering with other sports from around the globe with similar objectives,” stated Mark Sturdy, managing director of Entain Venues.
“Entain Venues’ DNA is partnering with venues to deliver great and engaging experiences.”
Entain Venues Live is easy to integrate into your sports bar/live sports. The sentiment amongst early venue subscribers highlight the ease of connection setup with Nightlife, exclusive content, support from the Entain accounts team, and low entry cost as key benefits to the service.
Upcoming bouts
Entain Venues Live has some big bouts scheduled soon that are sure to entice those new boxing fans into your venue.
First up, is Bohachuk v Ortiz on Sunday 11 August. Tim Tszyu withdrew from the fight against Ortiz on the advice of his doctor, but Bohachuk is not just a ring-in. He’ll be defending the WBC Interim World Title against the dangerous Vergil Ortiz, who has 21 knockouts in 21 fights to his name.
But the most highly anticipated drawcard is Mayweather v Gotti III on Sunday 25 August. Former five-division world champion and boxing legend Floyd Mayweather will take on the grandson of notorious organised crime figure, John Gotti.
This fight is guaranteed to be a huge drawcard for dedicated and casual fans alike, with the potential to attract plenty of trade to your venue.
To learn more about connecting these high-appeal live boxing broadcasts to your venue, visit the Entain Venues Live site.