No Team USA is no problem for local sports bars
At a time of year when the doldrums of professional sports leave sports bars and pubs with little to promote, a flurry of international World Cup matchups is poised to ramp up activity for any business with a game on.
And the U.S. men’s national team’s absence this time around may not hurt business as much as might be assumed.
With the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup over, this time of year is typically reserved for regular season baseball, which doesn’t always offer as much excitement, said Casey Dohme, co-owner of the Blind Rhino in Norwalk.
“We’re pretty lucky that the local teams are doing well in baseball, but it’s the dog days of summer, so this is going to bring some life to the sports landscape and to the market of sports bars,” he said.
Even as reports show four of the six most
watched matches in the previous World Cup in 2014 featured the American team, Dohme said there are opportunities to promote highprofile matches, like Friday’s matchup between Portugal and Spain.
And while they do not plan to show every game, he and his partners will offer deals and specials for the bigger match-ups.
Foreign connections
While attracting crowds can be hit or miss for American-themed sports bars, venues with ties to other countries playing in this year’s World Cup are more likely to be buzzing.
Victor Mathieu, co-owner of Peruvian restaurant Fiesta at 249 Main St. in Stamford, is expecting the city’s Hispanic community to come in full force this month to cheer on the Peruvian team, along with other Spanish-speaking teams.
“We have a huge Hispanic population that we expect to turn out to watch the games,” he said. “We expect to have a lot of Peruvians come watch the games with us. We want to do everything we can to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.”
During the World Cup, Fiesta will
be opening early, at 10 a.m., so patrons can watch more of the matches from Russia, the host country. On match days, the restaurant will also offer a number of menu specials and have prize giveaways.
There will be plenty of pubs filled with soccer fans, as well, according to Annie Cordiro, of Tigin Irish Pub in Stamford. Even though Ireland is not in the World Cup either, she said local pubs are primed to show as many games as possible this month.
“It’s nice to be a pub right now, for sure,” Cordiro said, adding that the Bedford Street pub plans on being open for every game.
Restaurants gain
The spike in summertime business is not reserved for sports bars and pubs. Restaurants with cold drinks, plenty of TVs and a welcoming atmosphere stand to gain some extra customers this month.
“With any sporting event it’s always an exciting opportunity as a restaurant to gain new faces and build sales,” said Samantha Mauro, manager and co-owner of the Whiskey Barrel in Stratford.
While the restaurant usually opens at 11:30 a.m. seven days a week, Mauro said she and her team plan to open earlier with games playing on all 11 TVs this month, while also offering deals and giveaways.
Viewing parties are another draw for restaurants. The Stratford restaurant served as a venue for a viewing party for the Portugal vs. Spain match on Friday afternoon in collaboration with Save The Children, which hosted the party to watch Cristiano Ronaldo, who is one of the organization’s global ambassadors. The game ended in a 3-3 tie.
“It’s definitely something we feel passionate about and it’s a good cause,” Mauro said. “I think that will draw up some business and provide people the opportunity to be somewhere and have something to do in support of this cause.”
Timing and scheduling of games may not be ideal for every business, however, said James Tremblay, general manager of Harlan Haus in Bridgeport. The German-style beer hall opened earlier this year in the former People’s Bank building.
While the restaurant could be a prime venue for watch parties, Tremblay said he and other managers are waiting to see if the demand appears.
“It is an opportunity to market some things and pick up some business, but nothing is guaranteed,” Tremblay said. “It’s hard to commit a lot of time and resources to it because then if it doesn’t work out it costs you money, so we will wait and see.”