By Bizna Brand Analyst
Are you a football fan? if so, you need to capitalize on your passion.
The only option is usually to go to bars. But there are a lot of people who don’t like going to bars either.
Just imagine you own a football viewing center that has a sitting capacity of 500 and for each football match, your customers pay 50 shillings per match. Multiply that 50 shillings by 500 and you will have a whopping Sh 25,000 per match. Multiply this by 3 since Chelsea. Arsenal and Manchester United games are the most likely to be full. What do you have> Sh 75000 on a weekend. In a month, you will have close to 300,000 shillings. The only costs are the DSTV subscription fees and the rent space which shouldn’t e a lot in the estates as compared to town.
It’s a business with huge potential yet people have ignored it.
What You Need to Start a Football Viewing Center
(1) Wooden benches to save start up costs. Plastic chairs are better but they are often damaged during the celebrations of goals and match wins.
(2) A good generator and possibly a UPS in case of power outage to keep the TV running
(3) Cable TV or DSTV dish with monthly subscription
(4) A big Television set with high resolution or projectors
(5) A refrigerator just in case you want to add an extra income stream by selling cold soft drinks
(6) A printed ticket or coupons to identifying paying customers
What next?
1. Get an ideal location
A middle-class residential estate with high population is usually the best place to start this kind of business. Get a good location; a location or building that has enough room for expansion. If it’s an open space like a football field, then you may need to get a carpenter to form a tent shed using zinc; and ensure that the structure is wide enough to contain a good number of people.
2. Set it up
If you are on a low budget, the next thing to do is to get a carpenter to make wood benches for you as it minimizes start up costs and contains a lot more people. But if you have enough capital, you can opt for single plastic chairs as they are more comfortable.
You must also ensure that the room or building is properly ventilated; so as to make your customers feel comfortable. If they don’t feel comfortable watching football matches in your viewing center, then there’s a high chance they will patronize your competitors. Do you want that? I guess NO.
After getting all set up, sure you follow these management tips;
a. Get a blackboard or notice board outside your football center to write out all upcoming matches for the day.
b. Have someone to maintain order. Football viewing can turn chaotic at times.
c. Treat your customers with respect. Customers are the backbone of every business! Be friendly to your customers. They are the sole reason you are still in business. Treat them with respect, and try to build personal relationships with them.
As a final note, if you are currently unemployed, you could try out this business. It doesn’t require much capital to start and it’s very easy to manage, if you know what you are doing.