While many operators focus solely on major league programming, today’s most innovative establishments are discovering that catering to diverse sporting interests, from cricket to slap fighting, can be the key to building a loyal, year-round customer base. In an increasingly competitive market where businesses must differentiate themselves, the one-size-fits-all approach to sports programming is giving way to more targeted, community-driven strategies.
In this episode of Inside Business with DIRECTV, we explore how the evolving sports landscape is creating new opportunities for bars and restaurants to connect with passionate fan communities. Mark Rogers, Senior Director at DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS, shares insights on navigating the diverse world of sports programming, leveraging streaming partnerships and creating specialized viewing experiences that turn casual visitors into devoted regulars.
From fantasy football draft parties to emerging sports leagues, discover how DIRECTV is helping establishments score big by thinking beyond traditional programming boundaries.
The Evolution of Sports Programming Strategy
Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Programming
The traditional approach of simply offering major league sports is no longer sufficient in today’s entertainment landscape. Mark Rogers, Senior Director at DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS, explains how successful establishments are embracing specialization:
“Not every one of our businesses, specifically bars and restaurants, necessarily want big sports, right? They may be a soccer bar, maybe they’re a cricket bar, maybe they’re a fighting bar that kind of focuses on MMA and WWE and gosh, even like the new slapping league.” – Mark Rogers
This shift toward specialized programming allows establishments to build dedicated communities around specific sports, creating stronger customer loyalty and more predictable traffic patterns.
The Rise of Niche Sports Communities
Emerging and traditionally underserved sports are experiencing unprecedented growth in viewership and fan engagement. From women’s basketball riding the Caitlin Clark wave to combat sports and international competitions, these communities represent untapped revenue opportunities for forward-thinking operators.
Building Year-Round Engagement Strategies
Early Season Preparation
Successful sports programming begins months before the actual season starts. DIRECTV’s approach demonstrates the importance of early customer communication and preparation:
“It starts early. We have a really fantastic communications program where we start talking about football season in the May and June timeframe.” – Mark Rogers
This proactive approach ensures that establishments are fully prepared to capitalize on peak seasons while building anticipation among their customer base.
Fantasy Sports Integration
Fantasy sports have become a powerful tool for driving traffic during traditionally slower periods:
“We have this really great fantasy football marketing program that we provide these businesses… We also provide them with fantasy draft boards, player stickers, where that business can actually hand that to the drafting league at no additional cost.” – Mark Rogers
By facilitating fantasy leagues, establishments can create recurring customer visits and build communities that extend beyond individual game viewing.
Navigating the Streaming Revolution
Strategic Streaming Partnerships
The shift toward streaming platforms for sports content has created both challenges and opportunities for commercial establishments. DIRECTV has developed relationships to provide access to streaming-exclusive content:
“We currently have relationships with Amazon for Thursday Night Football. Also partnered with them on their five NASCAR races… Our relationship with Apple through MLS Season Pass and Apple Friday Night Baseball.” – Mark Rogers
Maximizing Return on Investment
Data-Driven Decision Making
DIRECTV provides tools to help establishments make informed programming decisions based on projected returns:
“… we have these profit calculators… for a customer to determine what their ROI would be on these sports packages.” – Mark Rogers
This analytical approach helps operators and select packages that align with their specific customer demographics and business goals.
Comprehensive Marketing Support
The DIRECTV MVP program provides extensive marketing resources to help establishments promote their programming investments:
“We understand that this is an investment. We want to make sure we have a good relationship with our customers, especially the smaller guys… It’s the Jimmy’s bar down the street who doesn’t have those big marketing budgets.” – Mark Rogers
This support can be particularly valuable for independent operators who lack dedicated marketing resources but compete with larger chains.
The DIRECTV MVP Program: A Complete Business Solution
Proactive Marketing Materials
The MVP program automatically provides marketing materials when establishments invest in premium programming:
“For the bigger sports packages, the NFL Sunday tickets, MLB extra innings of the world, we’ll actually proactively send a marketing kit that’ll include a banner, a poster, a window cling and other things.” – Mark Rogers
This automated feature provides support in the form of professional marketing materials.
Digital Platform Integration
The DirectTVMVP.com platform serves as a comprehensive resource center for participating establishments:
“Once they actually order the sports package, they’re able to kind of log into their account and order additional materials outside of their marketing kit that they’re going to receive at no cost.” – Mark Rogers
The platform includes functional items like serving trays and beer buckets, sports schedules, custom branding options, and business development resources.
Customer Discovery Tools
The Sports Bar Finder platform helps connect fans with establishments that offer their preferred programming:
“Sports Bar Finder platform helps patrons find their favorite team or their favorite sports package at any bar throughout the country… We’ve integrated it with Yelp.” – Mark Rogers
This tool drives interested traffic to participating establishments while providing comprehensive business information including hours, ratings and special events.
Community Building Through Specialized Programming
Fan Watch Parties and Events
The platform enables establishments to promote specialized events and build communities around specific teams or sports:
“We’ve expanded it to include fan watch parties. So we’re encouraging business owners to also go on the app and input information on when they’re having watch parties, as well as what kind of teams that they follow.” – Mark Rogers
This feature helps establishments attract fans who might not otherwise discover their specialized programming or team affiliations.
Educational Resources and Support
Recognizing that many operators aren’t marketing professionals, DIRECTV provides comprehensive educational resources:
“We understand that they wear a lot of hats. So by providing these different tools to help them, again, drive awareness of kind of their investment into DirecTV and the sports packages.” – Mark Rogers
These resources include social media guidance, business development tips, and promotional strategies tailored to the sports bar environment.
Proven Results and Industry Impact
Long-Term Program Success
The MVP program’s decade-plus track record demonstrates its effectiveness across diverse business types:
“We’ve had a ton of success with this program. It’s been in existence for well over 10 years… The feedback we constantly get from our customers as this has been an absolute positive for them, especially the small bars.” – Mark Rogers
This sustained success indicates that the comprehensive support model addresses real business needs and delivers measurable results.
Industry Partnership Validation
The program’s value extends beyond individual establishments to benefit programming partners and content creators:
“We’re being told by our programming partners that it’s working. So again, we are continuing to figure out how we can expand to provide more and more materials and educational pieces.” – Mark Rogers
This validation from content partners seems to showcase the program’s effectiveness in driving viewership and engagement across the sports entertainment ecosystem.
The sports bar industry is experiencing a fundamental shift from broad-based programming to specialized, community-focused strategies. Success in this evolving landscape requires more than just showing games—it demands understanding diverse fan communities, leveraging technology effectively, and creating experiences that build lasting customer relationships.
DIRECTV’s comprehensive approach, combining diverse programming options with extensive marketing support and business development resources, can help establishments of all sizes to compete in this new environment.
For establishments ready to explore the opportunities in specialized sports programming and comprehensive fan engagement strategies, the tools and support systems are available to transform any venue into a destination for passionate sports fans.
For businesses interested in learning more about DIRECTV’s sports programming solutions and the MVP program, visit DirecTVMVP.com or call to speak with a specialist about customized programming strategies.
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