Are sports bars just an American thing?
There was a comment on a post from my main account that got my gears turning this morning. I haven't been doing a ton of sports betting lately, so I wasn't sure what I was actually going to write this post about. Then @steevc commented on this post about how there don't seem to be a lot of sports bars in the UK. At least not his part of the UK and it got me wondering if sports bars are a wholly US thing.
@mrsbozz and I recently finished watching Ted Lasso and I know they used to watch the Soccer matches on the TV in the one pub, but it was more of a small TV up in the corner versus the large screen media overloads that you get here in the US. If you have ever had the pleasure of visiting a Buffalo Wild Wings, you probably know what I mean.
I know that @intothewild moved down to Mexico a year or two ago and started a sports bar down there, but I have to wonder if he were a Mexican native would "sports bar" be the first thing that popped into his mind or is it because of his Minnesota roots?
To be fair, I don't really know @intothewild's backstory. I just know he was living in Minnesota before he moved down to Mexico. He could have been born in Mexico for all I know. I don't expect him to doxx himself to prove my point one way or the other either.
So where does that leave us?
Right, sports bars. Are they exclusively a US thing? I guess a lot of that really depends on what is required to classify something as a sports bar.
- No less than 10 TV's with at least three of them being larger than your car?
- No less than 10 beers on tap?
- High top tables and stools with no backs so you have to keep yourself balanced all night? (note, this becomes harder the more you drink)
- A state lottery machine in the corner with pull tabs and keno slips?
- No less than ten locals at the bar who never have to place an order because the bartender just keeps a steady stream of their favorite beers heading their way (because they know it by heart)?
- A menu with at least five burgers, a club sandwich, a Reuben, chicken wings, and a wrap on it? (throw in some mozz sticks and deep fried pickles as an appetizer)
- At least four jersey's framed and hung on the wall?
I honesty don't know. As someone pointed out in the Bro Discord server a while ago, I haven't been out of the country besides Canada, and that doesn't really count. I know in the photos I have seen @slobberchops and @steevc share, a lot of the pubs over there look more like someones house that they turned into a bar than what I consider a traditional bar.
Maybe it's the fact that when people get together to drink outside the US they are more interested in sharing some good craic as versus focusing solely on a sporting event. Given the worldwide hype over soccer, I have a hard time believing that Americans are more obsessed with sports than any other country. You folks riot over your sports for gods sake.
I'm genuinely curious. Do you have sports bars in your country? What do you think makes a bar a sports bar? What's the coolest sports bar you have ever been to and what made it so special?
Sports Talk Social - @bozz.sports
A lot of pubs advertise that they have Sky soccer and people may gather for a big match, but multi-screen bars are rare. There may be something more like you describe in some cities.
A lot of the old pubs try to create a cosy atmosphere and they can look quite old-fashioned. Mind you, the one up the road is about 300 years old and it is quite common for them to be older than that. A lot of pubs are shutting down as people stay at home. COVID made things worse. Many years ago there would have been at least 12 pubs in our village. I can remember around 8 and now there are just 3 plus a social club and the football club that have bars.
Wow, that is interesting. Too bad that the places are shutting down like that. I never like to see small businesses like that going away. Especially when they are that old!
Is very good how the people going to the bar from drink many beer and speak about sports, i like your job
I wish this was my job! I've gotta do a real job to pay for going to the bar and talking about sports!
Life is very difficult friend and you have to sacrifice a lot, I know that, and we Cubans experience it firsthand, a lot of sacrifice to live, but the world has to change for the better and we have to fight for that, and at least Hive, compiles all the experiences lived by people and thanks to the hive platform many people have another goal to live for and do not feel alone. Let's toast to that in that bar friend. greetings
There are a few in the UK. I was at one called ‘The Junction Tap’ last month showing 4 sports at once. Wouldn’t say the screens were that huge, 1 big screen and then a lot of smaller screens including in booths that needed to be booked. However there was a main seating area with bar stools and high top tables, a very eclectic range of beer and the desired menu. No state lottery machine but we do have fruit machines (slot machines) in our bars instead.
That's pretty cool. Ohio and Wisconsin have machines like that in the bars too. It sounds like a really great place. I feel like people think we are a bit excessive in the US and I wondered if anywhere else goes to quite the same extent.
What makes a sports bar? I would say you need a few things....
1.) TV's to show games, that's a no brainer. I wouldn't say you necessarily need 10 or more, I only have 7. Granted two are 75", 4 are 65" and one is 55". So not tiny. I couldn't really fit anymore anyway and there aren't usually more than 7 games on at once, so everyone gets to watch what they want.
2.) Food. Some are "bar food" some are "pub food", and then there's me...elevated bar food. All from scratch. Pretty rare for a sports bar, but def helps me differentiate myself from all the others. Just had a couple yesterday tell me they've been coming down here for 20 years and my wings are the best they've ever had. Pretty cool.
3.) The people. Regulars will make you survive. Gotta have em. If ya don't, you're doing something wrong.
Other than that, it's up to you. We have beer on tap now where before we didn't, but it's tough to do down here vs. up north. Atmosphere is really up to you as well, what kind of sports bar you want? I went a little more up scale, less sports memorabilia all over, cleaner, etc.
There are def a few sports bars down here in my area. 5 within a mile of mine. But we all get by pretty well.
And no, not born in MX. Not sure what I would be doing if that were the case, lol.
Thanks for the awesome reply. I hope you know I was just being kind of tongue in cheek with some of my points in the post. I've been to some pretty cool sports bars that have not very big screens. I was kind of playing on some of the stereotypes people have about the US. That's interesting about there being that many near you. I'm glad that you are standing out among them. I like the idea of elevated bar food. As I said in my post, pretty much everyone has the same menu, it's the places that add those special touches or make a wrap with that one ingredient the others don't have that makes all the difference!
Ya bro, all good. No issues whatsoever. I'd gander that what you "qualified" as a SB, most people would agree with. It's just....most are different unless you're comparing 1 B dubs to another. Ya? But imo, atmosphere is where it's at. Make that happen, and it won't matter what's on the tv.
Great point!
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