Local Economy Benefiting From Pro Sports
With the Stanley Cup playoffs almost complete, and other sporting events such as Major League Baseball, NASCAR, and UFC gearing up, local companies are reporting a boost in business as a result of these events.
“Special sporting events impact our business at Boston Pizza in several ways that are inter-connected,” said Boston Pizza Manager Martin Hudon.
“Most directly and obviously, they bring sports fans into our bar. We get guests calling in to see if we’re carrying the event, and coming in to check it out. People also tend to stay longer when it is a big game, and our bar atmosphere is amplified by their energy. During the Leafs playoff games this season, we saw increased traffic during game time, and increased sales as a result, in addition to a volume and enthusiasm that totally rocked. The same goes for UFC pay-per-view events. People are there to watch the fights, and get right into it. It makes a genuine all-around great sporting experience.”
Hudon explained that his establishment attempts to show a variety of sports at one time, including the NBA, NHL, NASCAR, MLB, soccer, and UFC, to entice more fans into the building to enjoy the game together. His restaurant has also encouraged staff to get into the game, wearing team and league attire. With the volume turned up, and the crowd getting into the event, Hudon understands why many people prefer watching sporting events in a public place, compared to at home.
“Watching the game at Boston Pizza is a great excuse to have an evening out with your friends,” says Hudon. “Watching a game at home is nice, but here you sit back and we bring the food, and we pour the drinks. We have high definition on all our TV’s, and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house.”
“Also, I like to see the guests interact with each other. Sometimes they are fans alike, and enjoying watching their team together. Other times, friendly rivalries develop, and fun “chirping” begins.”
To assure there is an extra benefit to fans, Chatham’s Boston Pizza runs giveaways and promotions related to major events.
“We very often have promotions tied into sports. We always have UFC giveaways every fight night. For the Jays, we have a promotion partnering in with Budweiser and Bud Light Jays’ logo tall cans, where the guest could win tickets. We also gave away NHL regular season tickets early on in this shortened season, to get everyone excited. We appreciate the guests’ choosing us as their headquarters for sports—we want the reward them for that,” explained Hudon.
In the long run, it’s all about the atmosphere. It’s why fans leave there home to see a game live, or join other fans to cheer on their favourite team or competitor.
“Sport creates an atmosphere that our guest wants. They want to see their team, or the team their buddy hates, or both.”
Chatham’s Boston Pizza is located at 780 St. Clair Street in Chatham. Call for a reservation at 519-351-1000.