Want to be everyone’s go-to spot for sports entertainment? Draw in more customers by hosting the 2022 Summer X Games!
The annual extreme sports event is organized, produced and broadcast by ESPN but also runs on ESPN’s sister network, ABC. Athletes compete from July 20 to 24.
The 34% increase in viewership in the last two years has made the summer competition a popular event for young viewers to tune into. If your bar caters to the Gen Z demographic (aged 21-24), you can turn the X Games into a great watch party event.
Because the X Games are less mainstream than playoffs for seasonal sports, you may create a unique opportunity for yourself to be the only bar hosting the event. That means four days of regulars who might end up coming back for more well after July 24.
Hosting the games doesn’t have to be hard, and it might be the perfect way for you to show your target audience all that your bar has to offer.
People can enjoy their meals and watch the games in real-time.
The games run for roughly eight hours every day. You can help dedicated viewers stay committed to keeping up live with lunch and dinner specials, or happy hour deals for when they clock out at the office.
Not all viewing experiences are the same, though.
We’ve all been to sports bars that advertise live broadcasting of sports events, only to see the entire bar crowded around a corner-mounted screen. Make the viewing experience for your patrons as extreme as the sports themselves with attractive display solutions.
From video walls to monitors throughout your venue, guests can make the most of their dining and viewing experience.
Cater to non-sports fans, too
Consider catering to non-sports fans, too. It’ll help make everyone happy, especially If you have a mixed demographic crowd.
Be ready to have options for other screens to display a range of entertainment so that your regulars aren’t turned away by the X Games.
This approach allows you to curate an environment everyone feels comfortable in.
Because digital signage software makes it easy to change displays, you don't have to dedicate all your screens to sports events such as the X Games. Instead, use a few of them to display alternative entertainment for customers who aren't interested in sports.
Watch the games with live commentary and betting
Do you use your digital screens for more than just displaying events and TV? If not, you (and your guests) are missing out!
Digital displays that are integrated with easy-to-use content management software have the opportunity to engage customers in unique ways. Try creating QR codes that link out to live polls for voting, or display social media feeds with specialized hashtags to allow your customers to be their own sports commentators.
Not to mention, using a custom hashtag and leveraging it as a tool for interaction is an easy way to promote yourself. It’s as simple as inviting your guests to share their thoughts by using “#XGamesat[your bar’s name here]” for the chance to end up on the screens.
Live-streamed polls, social media feeds, and reactions make it easy for you to create a totally interactive game-watching experience.
Offering unique experiences for guests to interact with your establishment will make your bar or restaurant a fan favorite.
Capitalize on menu promotions
Limited-time drink specials and menu features keep foodies and sports fanatics happy and excited.
From themed cocktails to deals on family-style appetizers, you can make your bar or restaurant the place to be while customers immerse themselves in the excitement of the most extreme sports event of the summer season.
You might even consider making menus inspired by athletes and sponsors. Axell Hodges, of the game’s hosts, loves Mexican food. Energy drink-based cocktails are also safe bets with athletes historically being sponsored by brands like Monster and Rock Star.
Use digital signage to promote your specials and create self-service options for times when your front-of-house staff is slammed.
Leverage the power of an existing local fan base
Keeping your restaurant or bar packed long after the excitement of the Summer X Games fades away means that you’ll need to create an experience guests will remember.
Successfully hosting one tournament means that you could become the first stop for folks to celebrate victories or commiserate losses.
Try sponsoring a local sports team to spread awareness of your bar or restaurant within your community. You’ll forge lifelong connections with locals while gaining valuable business exposure.
To add to the excitement, consider doing one or more of these things:
- Host a tailgate party before big games.
- Name an entree or drink after a popular team or player.
- Host events to celebrate the start of the season.
In an online world, it's easy to ignore traditional marketing methods when trying to attract fans of local teams. However, they still work. Try doing some of the following:
- Advertise at a local game by buying banner space in the stadium.
- Get your advertisement in the program.
- Become the exclusive food caterer at local games.
- Have a raffle giveaway.
- Offer discounted drinks and food specials whenever the local team wins.
To make your traditional marketing as effective as possible, combine it with digital methods you display on your on-premises screens.
UPshow makes it easy to get it all done before the games roll around
To maximize the effectiveness of your digital signage strategy, understand your marketing goals.
Do you want to attract more customers with interactive entertainment options? Or, perhaps you want to complement traditional advertising with digital marketing to reach more customers.
You don't only have to select one objective, just make sure you know which ones you want to prioritize.
Make sure you have the right equipment on hand to start. For example, suppose you want to ensure that everyone in your establishment can see a screen. In that case, you’ll have to decide if you want to create a communal video wall or string monitors throughout your establishment.
Once you've decided on the screens you'll use and have installed them, it's time to connect them to UPshow software. Doing this couldn't be simpler.
All that’s left is getting started by using one of our premade templates and software features to create custom displays. It’s also easy to create a rotation schedule that keeps your screens active and engaging before, during and after the games.
Our experts will help you get going, but odds are that you’ll be able to do it on your own because the connection process is so straightforward.
Get started with an UPshow demo
To find out more about how UPshow's cutting-edge digital signage software helps drive ROI on your on-premises screens, schedule a demo today!
