Rather than just showing matches, operators are increasingly building pubs and occasions around sport, with investment spanning larger screens and sound systems to darts, pool, games and app based rewards.
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The trend forms part of a wider shift identified by Lumina Intelligence, which found pubcos were segmenting estates around clearer food, sport, community, accommodation and experience led roles.
Marston’s provides one of the clearest examples through Grandstand, its dedicated sports format launched as part of a wider strategy to move away from a one size fits all approach across its estate.
Chief development officer Ed Hancock told The Morning Advertiser (MA): “Guests don’t all want the same thing from their local, whether they’re friends meeting for a quick drink, a family after an easy meal out, or sports fans watching a big match all have different expectations.
“Our differentiated pub formats let us meet those needs with much greater clarity and consistency.”
Grandstand pubs feature three metre screens, enhanced sound systems and tiered seating, alongside food and drink designed around the sporting occasion.
The 36 conversions completed so far are delivering around 30% like for like sales growth year to date, while sales during the World Cup were up 170% year on year.
Visit frequency has also increased from 5.5 to 6.3 visits annually, while customers are spending 7% more per visit than at an unbranded sports pub.
“The results have been outstanding,” Hancock said. “It’s not just about the big occasions either. We’re seeing visit frequency at Grandstand pubs rise, which shows the format has real, lasting appeal well beyond individual fixtures.”
Marston’s plans around 100 new format conversions next year, with the majority set to become Grandstand pubs.
Format focus
Star Pubs has also increased investment in sport as consumers become more selective about where they spend.
The operator has invested in areas including viewing technology, darts and other activities designed to give customers additional reasons to choose the pub.
Retail director Cathy Olver told the MA: “We know that increasingly people are being choiceful about where to spend their money when it comes to hospitality. For us that means a real focus on delivering the best experience possible.
“Our investment in things like darts and improving the viewing experience for big sporting events this year was driven in part by that desire to give people a great reason to visit their local.”
She added challenging trading conditions made it increasingly important to create reasons for customers to return beyond individual fixtures.
Greene King has similarly expanded sport beyond live TV, combining fixtures with pool, darts, shuffleboard and other pub games.
Chief digital and commercial officer Clair Preston-Beer told the MA: “The pub is the true home from home for sports, and there really is no better place to come together and soak up the matchday atmosphere if you can’t be at the stadium.
“With consumers seeking more experience led occasions when eating and drinking out of home, our brilliant sports offering gives customers even more reasons to visit with access to premium live TV fixtures, pool, darts, shuffle and other in house pub games.”
Sport has also been integrated into the Greene King app, allowing loyalty customers to access match time offers and book tables around key fixtures using real time availability.
Preston-Beer said the group had seen record bookings for live fixtures this summer and remained focused on improving the experience ahead of the domestic football season.
Bigger occasions
At BOXPARK, sport forms part of a wider entertainment model built around turning major fixtures into large scale communal events.
Its venues combine giant screens with street food, bars, DJs and fan focused entertainment, with programming adapted throughout tournaments around moments and trends emerging among supporters.
Chief executive Matt Snell told the MA: “Live sport has always been about bringing people together, and that’s exactly what BOXPARK was built around.
“We’ve created spaces where fans can experience the energy, emotion and community of major sporting moments together, rather than watching from home.”
Sport spans football and rugby through to events such as the Super Bowl, with major tournaments among the operator’s biggest trading occasions.
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, BOXPARK sold more than 43,000 tickets and generated a potential media reach of almost 17.8bn. Snell said major fixtures also helped introduce new audiences to the venues.
“They’re an important part of our long-term strategy, as major tournaments introduce new customers to BOXPARK, giving us the opportunity to turn first time visitors into regular guests who return throughout the year for live sport, events and entertainment.”
Across the operators, the investment points to a shift towards building a clearer sport led proposition around the occasion.
For some, that means creating dedicated formats such as Grandstand. For others, it means upgrading technology, adding games and entertainment or turning major fixtures into full scale events, but the aim is increasingly the same: giving customers a stronger reason to watch away from home.
This article forms part of a five part MA series exploring how pub operators are segmenting their estates around accommodation, community, food, sport and experience.
You can read the accommodation, community and experience features here, with food to follow.
