How Bars Can Prepare for a Safe Football Season: 7 Actionable Strategies

Football season brings big crowds to bars. Bars need to get ready. This guide will help bar owners keep fans safe and happy.

1. Keep Your Bar Clean

Keeping your bar clean is very important. Clean bars make people feel safe.

• Wipe down all tables each hour
• Clean doors and handles after each use
• Put hand gel in many spots
• Make sure air moves well in your space

In Ohio, bars that clean high-touch spots 3 times each hour saw 35% better safety scores from guests.

One easy way to help is to use a custom bar mat on your bar top. These mats catch spills and are easy to clean.

2. Control How Many People Come In

Too many people can make your bar unsafe. Here’s how to fix that:

• Count people at the door
• Use a system to take names
• Put marks on the floor to show where to stand
• Have guests book spots ahead of time

Smart bars in Miami cut wait times by 40% when they used AI to count guests. This also helped them serve 22% more people at busy times.

Table: How Many People Is Safe

Bar Size	Max People	Staff Needed
Small (under 1000 sq ft)	40-50	3-4
Medium (1000-2500 sq ft)	75-125	5-8
Large (over 2500 sq ft)	150-200+	10+

3. Serve Drinks Safely

Bars need to serve drinks in safe ways during football games.

• Train staff to spot when to stop serving
• Offer free water all night
• Use clean glasses for each drink
• Help drunk fans find safe rides home

Good bar owners know that clean drink tools matter. Using a custom ice bucket that only holds clean ice helps stop germs.

Smart bar owners in Texas saw 61% fewer fights after staff got special training. This saved money on insurance too.

4. Show Games the Right Way

Showing games needs to be legal and safe.

• Get the right permits to show games
• Check that your TV sound isn’t too loud
• Have a plan if something goes wrong
• Make sure all fans can see a screen

Did you know? Bars without the right TV rights can pay $35,000 in fines! Doing things right saves about $8,400 each year.

5. Use Smart Tech to Help

New tools can make your bar run better and safer.

• Let people order from their phones
• Use systems to track how much you sell
• Get alerts when you need more drinks
• Have fast ways to pay

Bars that let guests order from their phones cut 56% of close contact between staff and guests. Orders also got done 2.3 times faster.

Rubber bar mats help too. They stop spills from making floors slick. Bars in Boston had 82% fewer slip falls after adding these.

6. Make Football Fun and Safe

The best bars make game day special while keeping it safe.

• Offer food deals for game day
• Create drinks named after teams
• Run contests that don’t need touching
• Give team prizes that fans love

Chicago bars made 44% more money on game days when they sold team food and drink deals. Fans posted 3 times more on social media too.

Fun Team Drink Ideas

• Blue Touchdown (for blue teams)
• Red Zone Punch (for red teams)
• Field Goal Fizz (for any team)
• Home Team Hero (with local drink)

7. Have a Plan for Problems

Smart bars are ready when things go wrong.

• Train staff what to do if fights start
• Know how to help if someone gets sick
• Have first aid kits ready
• Practice what to do if bad weather hits

Bars with AED heart help tools saw survival rates jump from 6% to 38% when heart problems happened.

Keep Food Safe Too

Food safety is vital in football season.

• Keep hot foods hot (over 140°F)
• Keep cold foods cold (under 40°F)
• Use gloves when touching food
• Store raw meats away from other foods

Using custom bar coasters under food plates can help catch spills and keep tables clean.

Safety Gear Your Bar Needs

Every safe bar needs certain tools:

• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kits
• Flashlights
• Clean-up kits for spills

Smart bar owners shop for bar supplies that last long and are easy to clean.

Train Your Team Well

Your staff is your best safety tool.

• Train them to spot fake IDs
• Show them how to calm upset fans
• Teach them basic first aid
• Make sure they know where all safety items are

When staff knows what to do, problems get fixed faster.

Keep Outdoors Safe Too

Many bars use outdoor space for big games.

• Check that all cords are taped down
• Make sure heaters are safe to use
• Have good lights in all areas
• Keep paths clear for walking

Safe outdoor spaces let you fit more fans while keeping them spread out.

Track What Works

Smart bar owners watch what helps.

• Ask fans what makes them feel safe
• Check which days had problems
• See which staff handles issues best
• Note which tools help most

When you track what works, each game day gets safer than the last.

Special Tips for Playoff Games

Playoff games bring bigger crowds with more energy.

• Add extra staff on these days
• Have more security at the door
• Be ready for stronger feelings
• Stock more of all supplies

Being extra ready for playoffs keeps the fun going when it matters most.

What Fans Say They Want

We asked football fans what makes them pick a bar:

• 89% say clean bathrooms matter most
• 76% want to see all TV screens easily
• 72% like having space between tables
• 68% pick places with quick service

Giving fans what they want makes them come back all season.

Final Game Plan

Getting ready for football season takes work, but smart planning makes it easier. Safe bars make more money and have happier fans.

Remember these key plays:

• Clean often
• Control crowds
• Train staff well
• Use the right gear
• Be ready for problems

With this game plan, your bar will win all season long!