Following unprecedented demand for Six Nations 2024 Championship rugby material, Star Pubs is investing more than £60,000 in its biggest ever free support package, including 1,400 promotional packs, staff training and a digital game to help licensees improve the customer experience.
The kits include large inflatable rugby balls, championship and match posters, furniture flip board, roll and stickers and are complemented by guides to create a great environment for customers. As many staff are unsure about the rules of rugby, the guides include key facts about the Six Nations as well as an explanation of rugby union rules to help licensees develop their teams to engage more with fans.
A fun interactive digital rugby game is part of competitive dating. Pubs can organize a leaderboard with the weekly top performer or offer groups of friends the opportunity to challenge each other.
Social media resources are provided to raise awareness of the games. To capitalize on the increased number of sports fans in their Six Nations pubs, licensees will also be offered multi-sport outlets to further build their reputation for screening live sport.
Cathy Olver, retail director at Star Pubs, says: “Star Pubs retail packaging and social media support helped our pubs outperform the market in 2024. Our research shows that point of sale and marketing had a real impact on the bottom line, with those pubs using it benefiting by up to £1,300.
“The competition for consumer spending is focused on key events, so creating the right environment and atmosphere for live sports is a priority. After all, it’s the people who create that all-important buzz and set up the pub as the premier destination for the sport. To that end, we’re expanding our support to include training and competitive socializing, making the tournament more fun for customers and staff and encouraging repeat visits.”
