When running a pub or club, you need to be on your guard. Many publicans are being tricked by fraudsters into purchasing illegal sports packages, which can cost them dear. The fines can run into the thousands, with one publican recently fined ten thousand pounds for showing a Premier League football match illegally. Could you afford to pay a fine like that? It could close your business down.
How to spot a fake sports package deal
If the offer sounds too good to be true, the alarm bells should be ringing. Even if the person/company you’re talking to sounds legit, and has some fantastic promotional material, they could still be a conman. If they can make over a thousand pounds per establishment, they’re bound to lay it on thick and do all they can to get you to hand over your hard-earned cash.
The best advice we can give you, is to always go to the official provider, whether it’s Sky or BT Sport. There’s simply no other way to legally show sports packages. You must get a commercial viewing agreement or you could be prosecuted, fined or sued.
When you sign up with Sky, through Sky Business, you’ll get a Sky licence to display in your window and from time to time, a pint glass will show up on your TV/big screens, to show that you’re legit. If you suspect that another establishment is showing matches illegally, you can report them by contacting Sky Business or BT Sport, who will put their fraud teams on the case.
Other ways to entertain your punters
As well as showing matches on your big screens, if you want to boost your takings, why not start holding pool and darts competitions, if you don’t already. Holding them on the same nights as big games, could encourage your customers to stay longer, which has to be good for business. Hiring equipment for your pub, whether it’s a pool table, juke box or fruit machine, doesn’t have to be expensive, when you hire from Manco Automatics. Why not give us a ring today on 0161 870 7777 and see what we can do for you.