This weekend marks the start of what promises to be an exciting Six Nations tournament of rugby—and pubs and bars will hoping they can enjoy the competition as much as spectators.
Wales and France open the Six Nations on Friday (1 February), followed over the weekend by Scotland against Italy and England against Grand Slam holders Ireland. Pubs and bars will be seeking a similar boost in sales to 2018, when the average Six Nations Saturday saw an uplift of an extra 26 pints of beer and cider per outlet.
The biggest opportunity for additional sales over the tournament is undoubtedly the Six Nations ‘Super Saturday’ on 16 March. Last year’s finale coincided with St Patrick’s Day celebrations, and beer and cider sales were boosted by 79 pints per outlet on average. With 2019’s St Patrick’s Day falling on the Sunday after Super Saturday, there is a substantial opportunity for pubs and bars to achieve a comparable increase and a standout weekend. It will also be an opportunity to build momentum for another big rugby occasion later in 2019: the World Cup in Japan.
