TVs in bars

So sorry that sports ruin your boring night. I'll try not to enjoy them in public from now on since they upset you so much.

 

I'm not really into watching sports when I'm in a bar. I'd rather chat with the people I'm with. I don't mind watchin hockey or baseball when I'm at home drinking.

 

Why can't you talk to people while watching the game? I think every bar should have lots of TVs and show every sports game known to man at all times When bars don't have a TV I bring my tablet and watch the game on that. What I don't like is really loud music or a band because then you can't hear anyone your talking to and the odds of you liking the music are probably low anyways.

 

I really don't mind TVs in a bar. What bothers me, and I do realize I sound old, is the folks sitting on the counter and totally immersed in their phones.

 

A bar isn't the same without sports playing. I'd prefer the volume to be muted most of the time, though, unless they are showing a big fight/game or a local team playing. For example, if the Super Bowl or a Champions League game is playing, I can understand if it's on and loud..it's a big attraction. But if it's a big sports bar showing multiple games, I think none of them should be audible.

 

TVs in bars are awful - they distract me from more important things, like looking at wall hangings and checking into Untappd on my phone.

 

I hate TVs in bars. It ruins the atmosphere. If I wanted to watch TV, I would stay at home and drink. I prefer to bring a sketchbook or read if I'm out by myself. If it is on, I find myself staring at it for no reason. I guess if I was into sports I might feel differently, but I honestly go out to get away from the glowing box.

 

If a muted TV is enough to keep you from having a conversation with those around you, it sounds like the conversation wasn't going to be that interesting anyway.

 

We really can't carry on a conversation while occasionally glancing over at the highlights? That's not much more difficult than walking and chewing gum at the same time.

 

I agree

 

It's not just America - drinking establishments all over the world have video screens on for one reason or another; globally, people love watching sports and drinking with others.

 

Yes there are sports bars in a lot of countries, and believe me I have traveled extensively (I am sure my experiences abroad are not all encompassing). Though TV dominates life in America like nothing else, anybody that has traveled abroad knows this. You don't have a row of 40 something men at the bar, all just staring at a handful of TVs not saying anything to anybody with the sound off during reruns of Sportcenter in many bars outside the US. At least in Scotland, one of the regulars would yell out to change it to BBC.

 

I don't care about what the local sportsball teams are up to, so even if the tv's are there, i ignore them. Not against them, i just focus on beer and friends, and tend to shut out anything im not interested in.

 

I don't care at all. I don't really watch a TV in bar unless I am there to specifically watch sports (ie- Hawkeyes game is unavailable to me at my house and I have to go to bar to watch). Otherwise, I never even look at a TV while in a bar for the most part. Easy to zone out. I get the appeal for others though and I'm sure bars would get less business without them, so whatever.

 

Back in London when I was working in a pub, we had a tv but it was hardly ever turned on for sport (only for certain champions league, FA Cup games etc) because we wanted to avoid the hooligan crowd and be able to attract a certain class of people. In the time that I worked there I guess testament to not having the tv on there was no fight - the same can't be said for a certain sports pub down the street where the police were called on a nightly basis...

For the record, I do think most pubs/bars (even ones that don't list themselves as 'sports bars') should have tvs and play sport on them but the volume should be mute (unless it is a big sporting event; Olympics etc). I also think there is a place for pubs/bars to not have tvs and the consequent sport on them for the sake of those who like to exploit their conversation skills.

 

the Boring Broadcast Channel

 

I understand those that prefer to socialize and converse with friends, but do you really go to a bar to read?

I guess there is a wide variety in this group, and I'm glad there are different bars that cater to the different types.

 

On a related note, what do you all think about the trend of replacing chalkboards with TVs? (used as computer monitor)

I am torn. Surely it is 21st century and better for customers and owners; BUT---part of me just hates it.

 

I read at bars all the time. The paper, magazines, books that I either bring or are available at the bar. When I was in college I would bring my text books to the bar and finish up on homework or projects. I am not the only one, and it is not that uncommon.

 

Back in London at the pub I used to work at, we had a regular, actually an American, who would stand at the bar and just read a novel. And despite the noise level being generated inside the pub being somewhat high at times and even with how busy it was and the crowds of people we would have to serve, he would continue to read his novel at the bar.