TVs in Taproom

I would say muted TVs are my preference, they aren't the center of attention, but if people want to look up and watch some they can. Bar around me puts on Food Network when major sports aren't on and I really like it.

 

lots of good ideas. i'm of the mind that craft beer and sports don't have to be mutually exclusive. you can find a balance. my local brewery/taproom does not have tv's at all..and i'll be honest this time of year, i go pretty much when the Bears either have a late game or there's no decent college game on saturday. i just personally like to have a few good beers and watch some games for a bit.

 

There is no right or wrong answer.

You have to decide what kind of atmosphere you want to have, that's what matters and what comes from that is what comes...

 

I say go with a couple. Always nice if there is a game on.

 

I think a few tvs in a few areas where people can get away from them would be good.

Personally I do not usually watch tv in restaurants, bars, taprooms, etc because it is usually sports and I do not enjoy watching sports. But the idea of having specific shows running and doing a marathon of shows sounds awesome to me.

A bar I visited in New Orleans shows Boondock Saints on a loop, of course the bar is the Boondock Saint. But the point still stands I would love to walk in and se something like Firefly being marathoner, or Star Wars, or Lord of The Rings, or the Marvel movies, or even some great movies from the 80's and 90's.

Of course that last paragraph was my Sci-Fi/Fantasy geekiness showing.

 

I'm ok either way and really it just depends on what sort of vibe you want your place to have. I will say you should be prepared to set up a TV or two if there is something special going on. Case in point, I know of a couple places that were TV free but then found themselves empty when the Cardinals are in the playoffs

 

I personally won't be drinking anywhere that doesn't have a tv as long as MLB playoffs are on... (which then extends into NFL & NBA seasons..) so yes for tv's.

 

My wild guess is that with an open mic, and acoustic music and a selection of board, and card games, and an idea in mind of enhancing the human experience. The op is not a sports fan. And it's a deliberate attempt at not becoming known as a sports bar.
In experience with working at a place that cautiously put screens in during its build out, and preferred to leave their being turned on to the discretion of the bartender as opposed to being something which was expected.
It's a worthy effort, cos when it picks up an aroma of that sports vibe where people know, or come to expect. It's a slippery slope, cos you're on your way to having it become a very different place.
And, then the calls begin.
"Are you going to have ____ on?"
"Do you have such and such sports package?"
"My buddies and I are looking to drink, you showing ___ game today?"
Or the wife or girlfriend calls with the above mentioned questions asked on behalf of.

Personally, I'm not a ball sport fan, and about the last thing I look for in a drinking establishment is a screen, or a need to know what's going on some place else and that I need to watch.

 

Deep Ellum (craft beer bar in Boston) and its taco restaurant cousin next door Lone Star show spaghetti westerns most nights. They'll put a game on if a local team is in the playoffs, but otherwise is Sergio Leone movies on a loop.

 

They have a comic book store inside the bar as well as a wealth of other books available for reading while you're hanging out.

 

Don't forget Starcraft finals competitions!

 

Hmm in retrospective, it can be a draw to have sports or if you could do Game of Thrones showings. For me personally I would feature more European sports( Soceer leagues Serie A, Bundesliga and English Premiere League come to mind) because that would be different as most places do not show sports from over seas. For me it is not a make or break, because I can deal with or without Tv. It all depends on what you want yourtaprom to be about and while I can see where someone above said some may take not having TV as snobby, think about what works. It make me think of this: coffee shops are opening up in the American style while European style is rare to find, so folks can have an advantage to open something European to distinguish themselves. So it is up to you! Also I remember a place in NJ called PJS Pourhouse whiche had EXCELLENT selections and also tvs, and attracted both the macro and micro crowd as we shall say.

 

Also, another place in Philly that was great, was the Brauhaus Schmitz, which had the best German selection and had Bundesliga and that made me such a frequent customer!

 

Reading through out this thread I'm sure you have your answer.
It's your bar, you do want you feel necessary to make it successful. If it's right, people will come TV's or not, live music or not.
I know of two brewery's that do not have any TV's and also have a large selection of board games, one is very well lit and is generally crowded and I will not go unless it is with couples that want to drink and play. The other has games but they're in back in the "family" area? they don't get much use and this place rocks. Neither establishment has music.

If you have TV's for sports that can certainly open up the door for larger crowds during game days but I for one really dislike seeing the news, Wheel of Fortune etc. on the sets.
My vote on the TV's would be sports or turn it off.

I do like JoeyStats707 suggestion of displaying the tap list, I can't believe I haven't seen this yet as I'm really tired of someone on mushrooms and a box of chalk drawing up a Tap list, I'm not against mushrooms I just want to be able to read the list before I peak.

 

If your layout permits, partition in a TV area (sports) and one without. You can monitor relative sales and adjust your business plan accordingly.

 

My local analysis: Asheville area brew pubs. Green Man Brewery, has TV's but mainly for soccer, really only for soccer. Wicked Weed only at the basement outside bar area and only occasionally for a special event (projector screen). Catawba Brewings new brewpub has 3-4 sportscenter focus, WW's Funketorium none, Asheville Pizza and Brewing has TV's, actually one of their locations is an old movie theater where they play second run movies. Burial Brewing, none. One World Brewing, none. Highland Brewing none, Pisgah Brewing none. French Broad Brewing, none. Sierra Nevada none.

My guess, if you don't hit a niche, like Green Man and their Soccer groupies, leave the TV's to the sports bars. If you don't serve food, it will be hard to compete with them.

 

Hey good luck on your taproom!!
1.A small tv behind bar in the corner. In my state you pay fee to have a tv on and another fee to have sound on that tv.
You can also advertise your specials,new arrivals,and calendar on the tv.
2.Carry a few cans or bottles of Bud,PBR,and Miller Lite for the ladies and friends who tag along and don't drink real beer...
3.Ever thought about why sports are always on bar tv's?? It's the only thing you can watch without sound that MAKES ANY SENSE!!

 

I was at oddsides awhile back, music with drums and guitar, this was before they expanded. So loud, I think the entire room was happy when they took a break, so we could actually have conversation.

Exactly, it is a BAR, I go there to drink beer and have conversation. I am in the minority, since I really don't care to watch sports, so yes, having giant tvs all with sports on does bother me.

 

Not everyone likes Tarantino, and they movies are pretty heavy dialog, so without sound it wouldn't be good. Plus, most of his movies are rated R. I'd rather not see them at my tap room.