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As the Premier League takes a short breather for the autumn internationals, it's a good opportunity to take a look at how the 2013/14 season could affect the pub trade over the next 9 months.
We recently asked our mystery diners about their thoughts on football to gain an insight into what this season may have in store. With the advent of BT Sport bringing free Premiership matches into many homes, and the stage set for what could be one of the most competitive seasons ever, pubs need to be ready if they want to cash in on the lucrative footie market.
38% of our survey respondents said that they were likely to order food when visiting a pub to watch a match, so food deals can be a good way to entice customers away from the comfort of their own sofas to spend more at the pub.
The average length of a pub stay for football fans is 2-4 hours during a match, so as long as they've got a comfortable seat, a good view of the match and food available, there's no reason why they won't keep spending for the duration.
55% of our survey respondents who visit pubs to watch football also said they would take advantage of drinks offers such as pitchers of beer to avoid queuing - which not only keeps the customer happy but also lessens the strain on bar staff.
So whilst sports pubs and bars may have to work a bit harder this season, as long as they obey these golden rules there's no reason why they shouldn't be top of the table this year:
