Fans are spoiled for choice when it comes to sports bars and restaurants in Vancouver. But in most cases, it鈥檚 hockey fans who are spoiled since the Canucks win over most television screens in this city 鈥� from October onward.
Yet, if you take a closer look, a notable change has prompted an increasing number of bars and businesses to shift their priorities. That change is driven by and an experienced, international viewership that demands the same atmosphere and focus as Canucks fans. Just replace hockey with soccer.
"When you want to watch a match, you want to go to a place where they will have the game on multiple TVs and you want the sound of the game," said Zach Meisenheimer, a member of the Whitecaps supporters' group .
"You don't want some music playing or listening to a hockey game or something else going on. You want to be able to hear the announcer and/or hear the atmosphere in the stadium."
This is easier in the summer, when Major League Soccer doesn鈥檛 compete with the NHL. Still, from the growing popularity of the English Premier League (EPL) and interest in the 麻豆传媒映画Whitecaps FC, the beautiful game is offered more regularly on screens at sports bars and pubs, with some establishments reaping the economic rewards. (With no local top-end franchise, basketball and baseball fans are hard-pressed to get the volume turned up.)
One company that has embraced soccer 鈥� and its paying customers 鈥� is the Donnelly Group. The official 麻豆传媒映画supporters' clubs of EPL sides Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC, Manchester United FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC all call a Donnelly pub their home, as do local fans of Scottish giants Celtic FC. Even Curva Collective and fellow Whitecaps supporters' group Rain City Brigade have partnered with Donnelly.
"Although soccer as a whole is popular in 麻豆传媒映画right now, and Premier League is far more popular than it's ever been, we've been in the supporters' club game way before it was cool to do so," said Damon Holowchak, who is in charge of marketing for Donnelly Group.
"It just so happens now, with the popularity of it, we have more groups forming that want to get involved and we are able to offer space and availability for them because we have so many locations. We鈥檙e more than happy to do it because we just think it fits with what we do and what we understand is important to fans of soccer."
On match days downtown, members of the largest Whitecaps supporters' group, the Southsiders, convene at Doolin's Irish Pub. Run by the Granville Entertainment Group, Doolin's has become one of Vancouver's main gathering places for fans since the Whitecaps became part of MLS in 2011.
Despite the growth in soccer鈥檚 popularity, soccer-friendly establishments like Doolin's are still pressured to show Canucks games 鈥� even during MLS playoffs when the NHL is 80-odd games away from meaningful.
"We always try and stay true to our partnership and definitely give the Southsiders the screens for Whitecaps games, but it is a bit of a balancing act," said Kate Robertson, Doolin's marketing and promotions coordinator. "A lot of times, during the [NHL] playoffs, people ask to have the Whitecaps game on in the background."
听
While screening Canucks games will always take precedence, the kickoff times of many top soccer matches worldwide has created additional opportunities. Competitions like the UEFA Champions League have allowed establishments to cater to soccer-specific clientele during lunchtime hours.
This summer's men鈥檚 World Cup in Brazil saw many games kick off around midday in Vancouver. Donnelly Group drew spectators through their doors by promoting so-called 鈥渙fficial鈥� venues specific to national teams like Brazil, England and Russia. Mid-day kickoff didn鈥檛 end with Germany鈥檚 fourth World Cup, but the international tournament appealed to leagues of casual viewers.
"It was good to have that extra push at lunchtime for us, which really helped our business," said Chris Hall, owner of The Sin Bin Sports Grill, located near the Olympic Village.Mid-day kickoff didn鈥檛 end with Germany鈥檚 fourth World Cup.
"The expected benefit too is that most people don't get a full two hours off for lunch, so you get people that come to watch the first half, then go back to work, then there were people that planned to take the second half for lunch and would come in and create a second rush at lunchtime."
The Champions League group stage begins Sept. 16. The Whitecaps season continues 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at B.C. Place when they host D.C. United
Simon Fudge has covered the beautiful game in Canada and the United Kingdom for print, web and radio. A gift of family inheritance, he supports Bristol City FC. Reach him at听.
