March Madness is one of the most beloved times of the year, with an average of 8.6 million people tuning in to see their favorite college teams play. Whether they’re rooting for their alma mater or simply hopping on a bandwagon for the fun of it, people love having an excuse to spend money and pick favorites.
In conjunction with spending money, people also love having an excuse to spend time with their friends, co-workers and fellow fans. It should come as no surprise that this time of year also signals one of the most profitable seasons for sports bars and restaurants. In fact, beer sales see a 20 percent increase during the tournament.
Now, imagine walking into a bar and realizing they aren’t playing the big game or the bartender is too busy serving other customers to fumble with the remote in order to flip to the game that’s going to make or break your bracket. The type of economic stimulus the tournament brings can have some bars stretched thin, and it can become a challenge for places to create immersive viewing experiences that not only bring patrons in but keep them there as well.
No amount of beer can convince a dedicated fan to miss a big game.
Just in time to help bars and restaurants keep up with all the demand that March Madness brings, Comcast Business is now offering the award-winning X1 video platform to business customers.
“Bars across the country can now offer their customers the same award-winning video experience that millions of people get every day in their living room,” said Christian Nascimento, vice president of Product and Premise Services at Comcast Business.
X1 for Business elevates the sport viewing experience by providing customers with picture-in-picture video and up-to-the-minute sports updates. Alongside the in-game action, viewers will now be able to see other real-time scores and statistics for multiple games across various sports, satisfying even the most dedicated fans.
Remember the busy bartender who didn’t have time to fumble with the remote? X1 also brings features such as voice control and easy on-screen guides, allowing employees to quickly change channels while serving customers.
“Comcast has the potential to disrupt the nearly $4 billion United States business TV market with X1 for Business,” said Greg Ireland, multiscreen video analyst at IDC. “Products and solutions that have generated excellent results on the residential side can help businesses gain an edge in attracting new and returning customers.”
When it comes to the Big Dance, the last thing anyone should be worrying about is whether their favorite place is covering the game. X1 for Business allows bars and restaurants to focus on serving customers and creating a fun environment rather than searching for programming.
Save the stress for the brackets.
