Live sport remains a measurable reason for people to choose pubs and bars. In a May–June 2023 British survey, an estimated 8.5 million consumers had watched live sport in pubs and bars during the previous six months. More recent 2025/26 and 2026 findings point to continued demand, with viewing quality, Wi-Fi and reliable matchday execution shaping the venue choice.
Contents
- How often people watch sport in pubs
- Spending, dwell time and group visits
- When matchdays create extra demand
- The sports and competitions people watch
- Atmosphere, community and second screens
- Wi-Fi and connectivity expectations
- Viewing quality and venue experience
How often people watch sport in pubs
The scale of the audience is substantial, but frequency matters just as much as reach. Among British consumers who watched sport in pubs or bars, 27% did so at least weekly and 62% did so at least monthly. These figures come from CGA’s May–June 2023 survey, covering the relevant survey population rather than all British adults. The source is The value of live sport in Britain’s pubs and bars.
The same survey found that 52% of British sports viewers preferred watching in a pub or bar to staying at home. Screening is also part of the venue-selection decision: 86% considered live-sport screening important when choosing where to go. However, only 15% said they visited because the venue showed games unavailable at home. That distinction is useful for operators. The attraction is not limited to exclusivity; the wider pub experience appears to matter alongside access to the match.
Sky reported a separate, later measure for the 2025/26 Premier League season: an average of 1.77 million people per week watched Premier League matches on Sky Sports in out-of-home venues. Sky also reported that out-of-home Premier League viewing increased 23% year over year in 2025/26 versus 2024/25. These are season-specific Sky measures and should not be treated as a direct continuation of the 2023 CGA survey. The figures appear in Football is back on Sky Sports following its most watched Premier League season ever.
Spending, dwell time and group visits
The available measures connect sports viewing with both customer value and time in venue. British consumers who watched sport in pubs and bars spent 36% more per month on eating and drinking out than non-viewers, according to the May–June 2023 CGA survey. Within the pub sports-viewing group, 83% typically spent more on food and drink when a live game was on than on visits without one.
Dwell time was also higher around live games. Some 87% of British pub sports viewers said they would stay longer than usual when a venue screened live games. On average, viewers arrived 43 minutes before a live game started and stayed 45 minutes after it ended. Those averages describe reported behavior in the survey period; they are not a guaranteed service window for every fixture.
Live sport can also enlarge the visiting party. Seventy-five percent said they visited with a bigger group for live sport, averaging three additional people. Among viewers who spent more than £40 per visit, 94% said they would stay longer than usual when live games were screened.
Venue loyalty is another strong theme. Among British sports viewers, 89% were more likely to revisit a venue if they knew matches were screened, while 72% said they would visit less often if the venue stopped showing sports. The figures suggest that a dependable sports offer can influence repeat behavior, even where the match itself is not the only reason for the visit.
| Measure from the May–June 2023 CGA survey | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Stay longer when live games are screened | 87% |
| Arrive before the game | 43 minutes average |
| Stay after the game | 45 minutes average |
| Visit with a bigger group | 75% |
| Average additional people in the group | 3 |
| More likely to revisit when matches are screened | 89% |
When matchdays create extra demand
Saturday was the preferred day for watching games among 66% of British pub sports viewers in the CGA survey. The comparable figures were 34% for Fridays and 31% for Sundays. These responses are not mutually exclusive scheduling forecasts, but they identify Saturday as the strongest stated preference in that survey.
Live sport can also shift visits into otherwise quieter periods. Thirty-two percent of British pub sports viewers were more likely to visit at times when they would otherwise be elsewhere, and 38% were more likely to visit on days when they would otherwise be elsewhere.
Sky’s 2026 survey, referring to the 2025/26 season, found that 70% of pub-going sports viewers said the increased number of Premier League matches gave them more reasons to visit hospitality venues. Sixty-three percent said they watched more Premier League matches in pubs and bars than in the previous season.
Sky also reported a direct venue comparison for the 2025/26 season. Sky matchdays produced a 9% sales uplift for Sky venues versus non-Sky venues, while Sky “Big Six” clashes produced a 14% sales uplift versus non-Sky venues. These are reported uplifts for the comparison described by Sky, not a general forecast for every pub or every match.
The 2026 men’s World Cup produced another large event-specific result. NielsenIQ reported that drinks sales in Britain’s on-premise rose 7% versus the equivalent period in 2025 across the competition. England’s semi-final against Argentina on 15 July 2026 generated a 94% uplift in average drinks sales versus the equivalent day in July 2025. The source is The World Cup in Britain’s On-Premise: NIQ’s hour-by-hour wrap.
The sports and competitions people watch
Football competitions dominate the available out-of-home viewing measures. Among British football fans who watched out of home, 80% watched the Premier League, compared with 65% for the Champions League and 62% for the FA Cup. These figures come from the May–June 2023 CGA survey and describe the share watching each competition among the specified football-fan audience.
The broadcaster and event range also feature strongly in the same research. Ninety percent of British pub sports viewers rated Sky Sports the best broadcaster of live sport, while 92% said Sky Sports had the best range of events. Ninety-one percent agreed that Sky was the home of the English Premier League. Among British pub and bar operators, 73% said Sky had the best range of sports, and 81% of British sports viewers said they were more likely to visit a pub or bar if it offered Sky Sports.
For the following season, Sky scheduled more than 1,500 live matches across the Premier League, EFL, Women’s Super League and Scottish Premiership for 2026/27. That is a schedule count for the stated season, not a count of matches watched in pubs.
Atmosphere, community and second screens
The pub’s social environment remains part of the appeal. In the May–June 2023 CGA survey, 41% of British sports viewers chose pubs and bars because the atmosphere was livelier, while 39% chose them for the chance to connect socially with friends. In a separate 2026 survey, 86% of British football fans said watching sport together made them feel part of a community. This latter finding is reported in Thierry Henry Partners With Samsung As New Research Reveals What British Football Fans Really Want From A Matchday Venue.
Watching the match does not mean customers stop using their phones. Among British consumers who watched sport in venues, 51% typically messaged friends or family while out, 45% used Facebook, Instagram or other social platforms, 41% checked email and 36% checked scores on their devices. A further 25% used their devices for online betting. These activities are reported behaviors from the CGA survey and give operators a practical reason to treat connectivity as part of the viewing experience.
Wi-Fi and connectivity expectations
Free internet access was expected by 85% of British consumers who watched sport in pubs and bars in the May–June 2023 CGA survey. Sixty-two percent always or often connected to venue Wi-Fi. The commercial consequence was visible in return intent: 79% were more likely to revisit a venue with fast and reliable broadband, while 64% were less likely to return when a venue had a poor Wi-Fi connection.
Operator provision broadly reflected that demand. Eighty-two percent of British pub and bar operators offered free Wi-Fi, and 85% agreed that offering Wi-Fi was important to their business. Security was also material: 92% of British sports viewers said private and secure connections were important.
Sky’s June 2026 survey found that two in three pub-going sports viewers planned to connect to a venue’s Wi-Fi in summer 2026. The proportion rose to 71% among 25–34-year-olds. This is a later, season-specific intention measure and should not be merged mechanically with the 2023 usage figures.
Viewing quality and venue experience
Recent research suggests that the screen itself is a central part of the matchday product. Among British football fans in a 2026 survey, 83% ranked TV picture quality as a matchday priority, ahead of location convenience at 80%. Atmosphere was a priority for 79%, and food and drink quality for 64%.
Picture and sound quality affected enjoyment directly for 82% of British football fans when watching a major match. At the same time, 65% had experienced some form of disruption while watching a major match at a venue. Specific problems included blocked or restricted viewing angles for 29% and unclear or inconsistent commentary volume for 25%.
The improvement opportunity is measurable. Sixty-six percent said they would visit their local pub, community hub or sports club more often if it improved its viewing experience. Taken together with the 83% priority for picture quality and the 82% enjoyment measure, the 2026 findings frame visibility, sound and reliable delivery as operating fundamentals rather than optional extras.