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Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
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Author:  ericlater [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
Need some opinions and advice regarding the above topic. Please note that I AM NOT A FOOTBALL follower; I know nada about the scheduling and little about anything but the Superbowl

When I had my last Sunday night gig (before my Mom passed), I found myself in scheduling conflicts as the football season entered into the playoffs and then headed to the Superbowl and Pro Bowl games. In some cases the show was cancelled for that night; in others, the starting time was delayed.

It wasn't easy building the show up to where it had gotten and it was disappointing to see how quickly I lost "momentum" as well as a good part of my crowd as the reality of football impacted my show.

So, I ask, now that I am actively pursuing karaoke shows once again:

- Is it best to avoid Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays altogether as days to have a show?
- If not, how do you schedule karaoke in a fashion that is compatible with or works around football games? It seems the major problem is during the last few weeks of the season?
- How long, if at all, would you delay starting karaoke if there is an important game on? I now avoid venues where I went in expecting to find the scheduled karaoke show, only to be informed that the "game was on"!
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
Hosting KARAOKE in a SPORTS BAR on Sundays during football season is a definite NO NO ! Ditto for MONDAY NIGHTS. I would suggest with the thought of getting blasted that KARAOKE in SPORTS bars is a BAD idea all together ...ITS A SPORTS BAR and usually any BIG sporting event will take priority. just mt $.02
Author:  DannyG2006 [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
Thursday is as busy for me as Saturday at my bar. Even with Thursday night football. But the bar only gets the local football games because they don't get the NFL Network so this Thursday won't have NFL action on TV at my bar.
Author:  ericlater [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
Danny,

I take it that you're indicating a positive response to both Saturdays and Thursdays?

I hadn't considered, until my partner just recently mentioned college football on Thursdays that Thursday was a problem.
Author:  DannyG2006 [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
ericlater @ Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:37 pm wrote:
Danny,

I take it that you're indicating a positive response to both Saturdays and Thursdays?

I hadn't considered, until my partner just recently mentioned college football on Thursdays that Thursday was a problem.

I've never started late on a Thursday or Saturday night. They want to know what the commentary is, they turn on the closed captioning. Otherwise it's like that time they tried to do a football game without the commentary.
Author:  Lonman [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
The only time I have ever started late in our club - yes it's a sports bar, is when it's a home game & it is a crucial game for the home team - on a Monday night. Thursday night, no big deal. Sunday night, the game is already over by the time I start.
Monday I will start off at regular time but just turn the sound down on the tv so the crowd can still see the game. Never had a problem - but then again, the game is usually over by 9 as well, unless it hits overtime.
Author:  Babs [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
If an owner of a sports bar wants karaoke on a Sunday I'd have to suggest a different night. The point of having karaoke is to bring more people in the bar. Since they already have people coming in to watch the game it just makes sense to have karaoke on a night when they have less people coming in.

I don't work in a sports bar, but have competed with sports being on tv. I would have a problem competing with football on a Sunday, championship games on a week night or a Chicago team's championship games on any given night.

I've started late on a week night because of a Chicago team's championship game.

My suggestion is to steer away from Sundays during football season in almost any bar, not just a sports bar. The majority usually rules. If I have more people coming in for karaoke than the game, of course the bar owner is going to go with what makes him more money. Fridays by far karaoke will always win. I have had people yell something negative when I've started karaoke when there is a game on, but usually there are a ton more singers in the bar than game watchers. The singers usually put that fire out for me. I've been doing karaoke on the same 3 nights for years. If the 2 guys at the bar that want to watch the game don't like it they can go outside to the other bar in the back. :D
Author:  Karen K [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
We've done a Monday night show, which starts at 9:30 and goes until 1:30, for three years. The gig is in a sports bar where the owner has gone out of his way to make it comfortable for sports watchers - two big screens with projectors, and one of them is on the karaoke stage. We are in a holding pattern until the games are over. The football crowd leaves and the chairs are still warm by the time the karaoke crowd rolls in. Never had an issue with it - we maybe have to start a little late occasionally but never have had to cancel due to games. Seems to work - could it be because we're on PST?
Author:  exweedfarmer [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
Beware: National games are three hours earlier on the west coast than the east. Conflicts may vary according to time zone.
Author:  Lonman [ Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
exweedfarmer @ Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:16 pm wrote:
Beware: National games are three hours earlier on the west coast than the east. Conflicts may vary according to time zone.

That much is true!!!!
Author:  TopherM [ Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
I have been doing Wednesdays and Saturdays at a very popular local sportsbar for a little over 4 years now. I'm in central Florida, so Saturdays are also a conflict with Florida, Florida State, and Miami college games, as well as those Saturday NFL games later in the season after the college season is over.

I average about 125 people or so for my Saturday karaoke gigs when it is not football season. DURING football season, my bar owner understands that once football is over on any given night around 11:00-11:30, everyone would usually leave, but I keep about 75% of the people in the bar and drinking by entertaining them following the game, so that following football games are easily my busiest nights, averaging about 150-175 people.

Of course, I also make sure to show up at my normal time, and spend the time during the football game talking to regulars around the bar and generally promoting my show, as well as helping out the bar staff here and there. This is a great way to reach out to people who have never been to the bar for a karaoke night before! I also usually set up my equipment during halftime so that everyone knows something is still going on following the game.

So, thanks to a good bar owner, I keep em packed in until 1:30 a.m., and I get paid for the whole night!
Author:  ericlater [ Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
Top

That's quite interesting as to:
the dynamics that you have worked out with the owner
the fact that you show up at your regular time, even when the start of the show is delayed
the fact that college football, at least here in Fl, impacts different nights of the week. I was lead to believe that Thurs is the (only) night for college football
Author:  Babs [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
Toph - That's is awesome ! Now that is a bar owner who knows how crowds work.
Author:  darway [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
A close football game can last until 11:15PM... then if a KJ has some last minute setting up to do, the show doesn't really get going until 11:45 or so. I'm surprised the bar management bothers with such an arrangement, but I have seen this happen in my area.

Sometimes the games aren't that close and can get shut off or moved to a silent screen around 10:30. It still hurts the karaoke vibe, but isn't so late as to completely discourage people.
Author:  atxklown [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
The worst part for a singer is when the team scores, and the singer starts thinking "wow I'm really rocking the place"
Author:  Babs [ Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
atxklown @ Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:24 pm wrote:
The worst part for a singer is when the team scores, and the singer starts thinking "wow I'm really rocking the place"


LMAO I've seen that happen too. I'm not laughing at the singer, just the circumstance of it all.
Author:  darway [ Sun Dec 21, 2008 10:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
In Charlotte, most places that host karaoke are "Sports Bars" with dozens of TVs on the walls. Tonight was a Panthers/Giants game. NO WAY was that game going to be interrupted. And it went into overtime.... Karaoke didn't begin until midnight.

(Was a pretty good game tonight, though, I gotta admit.)
Author:  ericlater [ Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
How do you get a substantial number of people to stay for a karaoke show that is starting at midnight during a weekday?

How many of us have customers that are so hooked on karaoke that they'll tolerate such circumstances? I'm a "night owl", but can't see myself doing karaoke in the middle of the morning/night. I did stay once at "Singers", our local private karaoke klub until 4am; but that was just once!
Author:  darway [ Wed Dec 24, 2008 5:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
When football brings in 2X the number of people than want to sing, I can understand the management giving the game priority at a "sports" bar. I think the key point is, that a "sports" bar uses karaoke as a lure to keep some of the people. Otherwise they'd all leave when the game ends. IMO, mgmt is not as interested in developing repeat customers, as just extending the gravy train a few more hours.

A restaurant or nightclub is more likely to see karaoke as entertainment, or "the draw" to begin with, and will allow for more predictable start times.

I'm basically with you on your point, though. The only reason I stayed until midnight, was it was a Panthers game - and I had a drink in hand anyway. Otherwise I would have not ordered a drink at all, and gone home. Starting later than about 10:30 on a weekday is too much.
Author:  t4d [ Thu Dec 25, 2008 1:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Football, Karaoke and (Sports) Bars
From what I've seen, karaoke goes on as scheduled unless it's a home team (here it's the Packers/Badgers/Brewers) playing. If home team plays, karaoke will start after game, as long as game is done around 10:30pm or earlier. Obvious exceptions are Super Bowl, etc.
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