World Cup fever: After-hours matches leave Singapore businesses on the bench

F&B operators are staying selective as late kick-off timings raise cost and labour considerations

[SINGAPORE] The World Cup may be generating plenty of buzz among football fans, but the cheer and action has not fully spread to F&B operators in Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD).

With this year’s tournament taking place in cities around North America, the time difference means many matches fall late at night or in the early hours of the morning in Singapore. Several key matches are being held at 3 am and 5 am local time.

Businesses in the Republic have therefore had to weigh whether extending operating hours makes commercial sense; they have also been circumspect about rolling out too many World Cup-related programmes.

The issue of timing

At rooftop venue 1-Arden, one key adjustment has been to extend operating hours only for certain games.

Earlier in the tournament, it screened several afternoon matches, but it soon began receiving enquiries on whether it would show the later games as well. It is now planning to screen the two semi-finals, the third-place play-off and the final, rather than the full schedule.

“The difference this time is really the timing,” said Immelia Izalena, associate director of marketing at 1-Arden. “The previous edition had friendlier screening hours, while this year’s final matches are much later, so we are being more selective with the fixtures we take on.”

The 2022 World Cup took place in Qatar, which has a five-hour time difference with Singapore.

Izalena pointed out that the crowd for the next few screenings will “naturally be different” because of the timing.

“We expect to attract more dedicated fans, as well as groups who are looking for somewhere comfortable to watch the key games together,” she added.

Harry’s is screening World Cup matches only at its Boat Quay location. PHOTO: HARRY’S

Harry’s, meanwhile, is screening World Cup matches only at its Boat Quay venue. Screening the tournament was a natural move, it said, given its positioning as a sports-friendly venue.

Stephanie Howe, head of marketing at Harry’s, said that some matches drew significantly higher footfall, while others were quieter, depending largely on the teams playing.

Matches such as Australia versus Turkey, Tunisia versus Japan and Brazil versus Japan drew the largest crowds.

Despite the stronger turnout for those games, the bar is not screening everything. Its operating hours may be extended to catch the early-morning fixtures depending on demand.

Operators are weighing if the additional demand can cover the additional labour, utilities and logistics costs. Demand is highly dependent on the teams involved.

At Brotzeit in Raffles City, the German dining establishment is screening selected matches, with crowds showing up.

Carsten Kjeldmann, managing director of Brotzeit, described the atmosphere at these screenings as “lively and energetic”.

“The turnout has been very positive,” he added. “We’ve welcomed many enthusiastic football fans, including several large groups who have chosen Brotzeit as their gathering spot to watch the matches.”

German bar and restaurant Brotzeit is screening selected World Cup matches at its Raffles Place venue. PHOTO: BROTZEIT

The outlet had a sizeable crowd watching a delayed screening at around 11 am on Friday (Jul 3).

Brotzeit will continue to screen selected matches live, including the semi-finals and final. Kjeldmann said that turnout is generally stronger for more popular matches.

One venue stays open all night

One outlier is Gigi Gastrobar and Bistro at The Sail at Marina Bay, which is screening all matches live and has extended its hours to operate round the clock.

Speaking to The Business Times, owner Gigi (who declined to give his full name) said that the move was less about immediate returns and more about serving regular customers.

“We knew it was not going to be a big moneymaker for us, but we felt we had to do this for our customers. That’s why we did it,” he said.

Gigi added that footfall has remained modest overall due to the match timings, although interest picked up for matches involving Asian teams or crowd favourites such as Brazil, France and Argentina.

The gastrobar has also had to adjust its service crew and chefs’ working hours to accommodate the shift in operations.

Banks keep celebrations internal

On the corporate front, World Cup-related activities are largely confined to internal staff engagement.

UOB, Standard Chartered (StanChart) and HSBC said that they have organised activities for employees.

UOB management associates partnered the group’s human resources department to launch a month-long Wellness World Cup programme from for employees. This includes a virtual step-count challenge, a foosball tournament and weekly juggling challenges.

UOB’s Wellness World Cup includes a foosball tournament. PHOTO: UOB

A spokesperson for the bank said that the initiative aims to “encourage employees to stay active, connect with colleagues and foster teamwork while celebrating the excitement and spirit of the World Cup”.

StanChart screened more than 10 matches for staff, a spokesperson said.

“By screening matches and creating opportunities for colleagues to connect and share in these experiences, we strengthen relationships, foster belonging and celebrate the inclusivity of our workforce,” the spokesperson added.

HSBC Singapore has also lined up World Cup-related activities for employees.

From Jun 15 to Jul 19, the bank is hosting more than 15 live match screenings at its offices in Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) and Mapletree Business City.

It has partnered adidas Singapore and Weston Corp to host an adidas World Cup jersey showcase at its MBFC office.

Mukul Anand, head of people at HSBC Singapore, said that the World Cup presents “a chance to celebrate our diverse and international community in HSBC Singapore and strengthen connections across the organisation”.

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