Fixtures involving England delivered the strongest performances with like-for-like sales increasing by 170% on matchdays as fans filled its six London venues throughout the tournament.
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ETM said the World Cup capped a strong start to the year for the business as year-to-date sales rose 24.1% (for the 21 weeks until 19 July), with the tournament accelerating momentum after the portfolio had already recorded growth of 7.6% before the competition began.
Sport London managing director Colin Sadler said: “This has been the best tournament in Sport London’s history, by some distance. We were already trading well ahead of last year before the World Cup even started, but once the tournament kicked off, sales really took off.
Incredible atmosphere
“We’ve welcomed more fans through our doors than ever before and the atmosphere across all the venues has been incredible from the group stages right through to the final.
“To outperform last year so significantly is a huge credit to our teams and shows just how much people want to come together to watch the biggest sporting moments.
“What makes us special is that it wasn’t just about the big England games; we welcomed fans from across the world supporting their own teams, which demonstrates we’re the perfect choice no matter what the match.
Destination for football viewing
“That’s the atmosphere we want to be known for: not a bar that only comes alive when England play but one that’s the destination for football viewing, full stop.”
Sport London’s sites include Goldwood, Bank; Beechwood, Shoreditch; Broadwood, Liverpool Street; Redwood, London Bridge; Greenwood, Victoria; and Westwood, Westfield Shopping Centre.
ETM Group was a finalist in this year’s Publican Awards in the category of Best Managed Pub Company (2-50 sites). The business was founded in 2003 by brothers Ed and Tom Martin and while its sports-focused bars are a highlight, it also offers freshly cooked, premium food at its sites. ETM Collection has 10 venues – that include some incredible rooftop bar and restaurants in the capital – that brings the total number of sites to 16.
