Maximizing Venue Revenue Beyond Event Days

If you run a pub or bar, the 2026 World Cup is the biggest commercial opportunity you'll see this year. UK fans are forecast to spend £898m in hospitality across the tournament. With more venues closing every month, the ones left standing have a real chance to make this count. We've written a practical guide to help you prepare: fixture planning, online bookings, the licensing extension, match day atmosphere, complaint handling, and how to turn six weeks of footfall into customers who come back after the final whistle. It's not about having the best screens. It's about running the smartest operation. Read the full guide here: https://lnkd.in/eetZxgfN #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #football

The World Cup is here, and for pub and bar operators, that means packed houses, stretched teams, and customers who will absolutely remember if the experience let them down. Footfall is the easy part. Delivering consistency when you're three staff down and the bar is four deep, that's where it gets interesting. At Serve First CX we work with hospitality operators to make sure the moments that matter most are the ones you're most prepared for. Because a big occasion is only a big win if the experience matches the atmosphere. Are any pub or bar operators in our network already seeing a spike in footfall, and what's front of mind for you heading into the tournament? #CX #ServeFirst #WorldCup #Feedback #Audits

£898m in hospitality spend and somehow Dave's local will still run out of lager by the quarter finals and blame it on unexpected demand

FIFA World Cup 2026 Draws Thousands of Fans to U.S. Host Stadium PHILADELPHIA — Thousands of football fans gathered outside a major U.S. stadium ahead of a FIFA World Cup 2026 match, creating a vibrant international atmosphere as supporters from around the world arrived to celebrate one of the biggest sporting events on the global calendar. The image captures crowds making their way toward the stadium, many wearing national team jerseys and carrying flags despite overcast weather. Security personnel and event staff were on hand to guide visitors, while transportation services and fan zones helped manage the steady flow of spectators. Local officials said the tournament continues to deliver significant economic benefits for host cities, with increased demand for hotels, restaurants, public transportation, and retail businesses. Tourism agencies expect hundreds of thousands of domestic and international visitors to travel between U.S. host cities throughout the competition. Businesses surrounding the stadium also reported strong customer traffic as fans gathered before kickoff. Restaurants, souvenir shops, and entertainment venues extended operating hours to accommodate the increased number of visitors. Organizers emphasized that fan safety, transportation efficiency, and stadium operations remain top priorities throughout the tournament. Enhanced security measures, multilingual visitor services, and expanded transit schedules have been introduced to ensure a smooth experience for spectators. As the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues, host cities across the United States are showcasing their ability to stage large-scale international sporting events while strengthening tourism, local commerce, and global cultural exchange.

I went to The Kia Oval for Surrey vs Sussex, and it gave me a clear example of how a naming-rights partner could do more than just own the venue name. The Kia Oval already has strong brand visibility. But the bigger opportunity is this: How could Kia become part of the fan journey on matchday? For a ground based so close to Oval and Vauxhall, travel is a major part of the experience. Fans are arriving by tube, walking from the station, meeting friends nearby, buying food and drinks, and then heading into the ground. That creates a natural activation opportunity. Kia could build a “Kia Matchday Journey” around the fixture. Before the game, fans could receive a simple digital guide with: best arrival times walking routes from Oval and Vauxhall food and drink partner offers nearby team news and key player matchups a fan prediction game before first ball At the ground, the activation could continue through QR codes placed around concourses or screens: Predict the top run-scorer. Vote for the best moment of the innings. Enter a Kia-led prize draw. Unlock discounts with local partners after the match. After the game, fans could receive highlights, travel updates and offers from businesses around the area. That makes the partnership feel more useful. The club gets better fan engagement. Kia becomes part of the matchday experience, not just the venue name. Fans get value before, during and after the game. Local businesses benefit from cricket footfall. For me, that is where modern sponsorship is heading. It is not just about visibility. It is about helping fans experience the event better. Attending Surrey vs Sussex reminded me that every live sport venue has commercial opportunities hidden in the fan journey. You just have to look beyond the pitch. #SportsBusiness #SportsPartnerships #Sponsorship #CricketBusiness #FanEngagement #CommercialStrategy #MatchdayExperience

"Why are there so many crowd issues at this World Cup, when these stadiums host NFL and MLS games every week without the same problems?" I've been asked this a lot recently. Two things are going on. First, the fan profile, which I've covered in recent posts on Boston and Miami. International, first-time-at-this-venue fans behave completely differently to a regular season crowd that knows the building. Second, and less talked about: repeat use. An NFL or MLS team plays in the same building 8-9 times a season, every season, with the same ops team running the same protocols week after week. If something breaks, there's a direct commercial reason to fix it before next Sunday. A World Cup host venue runs this exact format a handful of times, possibly ever - a temporary, tournament-mandated overlay bolted onto a building that normally runs its own playbook. An Olympic host city goes further still: this scale of operation, citywide, happens once, period. The other question I get asked a lot: what's the real difference between planning crowd management for an Olympic Games versus a FIFA World Cup? Summer Olympics are built around a single host city - 25 venues running at once in Paris 2024, up to 50 sessions a day, over a million extra public transport trips moved through the city daily. The whole city is the planning unit, because at any hour, multiple venues are live simultaneously. A World Cup is normally the opposite shape: one match, one city, then it moves on - 16 host cities, 104 matches, 39 days, and even the busiest single venue only hosts around 9 matches across the whole tournament. Short, isolated peaks rather than sustained city-wide load. Qatar 2022 was an exception. All 8 stadiums sat within 55km of Doha, the most compact World Cup ever played - and the Doha Metro, built specifically for the tournament, carried 17.4 million passenger journeys. Functionally, it was run like an Olympics: one city, dense venue cluster, integrated transport plan. It worked.  It took 12 years of dedicated lead time, single-city geography, and a metro system built purely for this purpose to get there. Most World Cup hosts don't get that combination.  2026 spreads 104 matches across 16 cities, largely in existing NFL and MLS stadiums, on a fraction of the runway Qatar had. Three formats, three different crowd risk profiles, and one rare exception that proves what's possible with the right resourcing and geography. Across two consecutive Games as official Digital Twin & Mapping Supplier, and live deployments across the NFL, Premier League and Formula 1, OnePlan has been utilised to plan for all of it. The model changes. The discipline of planning for the fan who's actually coming doesn't. Full breakdown in the carousel. #CrowdManagement #OlympicGames #WorldCup2026 #VenueOperations #EventSafety

Why the United States Should Continue to Host FIFA Events The recent FIFA tournaments have demonstrated something many sports fans already knew: the United States is uniquely positioned to host global sporting events on a massive scale. From world-class stadiums and transportation infrastructure to a diverse fan base and strong corporate sponsorship environment, the U.S. offers a platform that few countries can match. Here are three reasons why FIFA should continue bringing major tournaments to the United States. 1. The Economic Impact Extends Beyond the Stadium When FIFA comes to America, hotels, restaurants, airlines, retailers, and local attractions all benefit from increased tourism. Visitors often stay for several days and spend money throughout the community, creating economic activity that reaches far beyond the match itself. 2. FIFA Helps Grow the Game in the United States Soccer's popularity continues to rise in America. Hosting major tournaments gives young players the opportunity to see the world's best athletes compete on home soil and inspires the next generation to participate in the sport. 3. The United States Delivers a World-Class Experience The U.S. has an unmatched combination of large stadiums, media capabilities, corporate partnerships, and event management expertise. FIFA benefits from strong attendance, global visibility, and access to one of the world's largest consumer markets. While every host nation brings something unique to the table, the United States has proven it can successfully stage large-scale international events while creating benefits for fans, businesses, and local communities. As someone who enjoys both sports and business, I find it fascinating how major sporting events can serve as economic engines, tourism drivers, and brand-building opportunities all at the same time. FIFA may be a global event, but the United States has shown it can be one of its most effective hosts. #FIFA #WorldCup #SportsBusiness #SportsMarketing #EconomicDevelopment #Tourism #Soccer #Leadership #Innovation #Sports

New Zealand's national stadium has entered a facilities services partnership with OCS. Organised sport has been played on the Eden Park site since 1900, the very year OCS was founded. Find out why the partnership extends beyond the stadium gates. https://lnkd.in/g5VQ5p4Q #facilitymanagement #partnerships #cleaningnews

The FIFA World Cup isn't just about what happens on the pitch – it's about every interaction before, during and after the event.   As fan expectations continue to evolve, sporting organisations have an opportunity to move beyond disconnected systems and create seamless, personalised experiences that build lasting loyalty.   In his latest article for ITBrief, our very own Louis Rogers, Senior Director of Partnerships & Sales APAC, explores how connected event technology can help clubs, leagues and major sporting events unify fan data, strengthen engagement and unlock long-term commercial value.   From registrations and ticketing to memberships, hospitality and post–event engagement, every touchpoint matters.   Read the full article to discover how leading organisations are using event technology to turn one–time attendees into lifelong fans: https://lnkd.in/gzJqgPBM   #SportsTech #EventTech #FanEngagement #CustomerExperience

Copa América 2026 enters the quarterfinal round this coming weekend. The group stage produced 24 matches across eight US cities. The quarterfinals narrow the field to four venues: MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. At this stage of a tournament, the fans still traveling are not casual. They planned this trip months in advance. They came for the full run — group stage, knockout rounds, and if their country advances, the semifinal and final at MetLife on July 19. These are multi-week stays. They know what they are spending. The accommodation is the one significant cost they can still optimize. On a major OTA, a $350 per night property near MetLife in Rutherford reaches $399 at checkout after service fees. Over five nights, the guest pays the platform $245 for the right to book from someone who could have been messaged directly. For hosts near the four remaining Copa venues — northern New Jersey, Dallas, Miami, greater Los Angeles — the next two weeks represent some of the highest short-stay demand of the summer. The guests arriving are fee-aware, internationally mobile, and accustomed to sharing recommendations within their networks. A Brazil supporter who tells five friends in São Paulo where he stayed near MetLife generates referral value that a five-star platform review never quite replicates. They are exactly the kind of guests worth building a direct booking relationship with. A Copa América guest who returns for the World Cup Final on July 19 found you through a platform the first time. They can find you directly the second time. That second booking costs the host $0 in platform commission. houfy.com