The balls have aligned, and American Pool is making a come-back. In recent years we’ve seen a surge in the popularity of American Pool. Many of the new multi-activity, competitive socialising powerhouses such as Roxy and Boom Battle Bar have added American Pool to their venues. Meanwhile, many traditional bowling centres, hotels and leisure parks have re-introducing American Pool as an ancillary activity to extend dwell time.
American Pool enjoyed a period of high popularity in the late 90’s early 00’s, with chains such as Rileys adapting their offer to focus on this activity, while leisure operators such as Tenpin and Hollywood Bowl adopted the game as a true second activity to their Tenpin Bowling operation. However, as the industry evolved, American Pool fell by the wayside in the face of highly technological activity pieces such as AR Darts and Batting Cages. Recently though, as the industry continues its evolution into the Leisure/Hospitality hybrid of Competitive Socialising, American pool has begun to return as an integral part of this strategy, offering several benefits that enhance both the customer experience and business model.
But why? What makes American Pool such a steady investment and why should hospitality and leisure businesses still consider adding American Pool to their venues?
1. Social engagement and inclusivity
Pool tables have long served as a focal point for social interaction in venues, providing an engaging activity which drives dwell time. The game’s accessible nature (larger pockets suit inexperienced players, simple rules) means that it can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels, making it a versatile addition to any venue.
2. Supporting the primary activity offerings
By incorporating pool tables, UK leisure & hospitality venues can provide low cost, high yield activity resources which round out a multi-activity offering based around Tier 1 activities such as Tenpin Bowling or Adventure Golf. One of the biggest challenges for venues is to be able to process sufficient customers through activities at peak times to avoid long queues. Pool tables can be deployed in a way where game time is short, providing a key entertainment opportunity when customers are faced with waits for primary activities.
3. As a primary activity in their own right
American Pool can also work well to enhance environments where patrons are usually just offered food and drink, providing an accessible route into developing a competitive socialising offering with a low cost, minimal construction option. Adding a well-presented pool table area can transform a venue into a lively and dynamic space, creating a broader operating window and encouraging repeat visits.
4. Building community and loyalty
Regular pool leagues and tournaments can foster a sense of community and loyalty among patrons in businesses which traditionally have comparable low revisit rates vs pure hospitality venues. By hosting events and competitions, venues can create a loyal customer base that returns regularly to participate and socialize, creating a buzzy environment which enhances the experience for other customers – particularly crucial at off-peak times.
The Question of Time vs Game
American Pool is fairly common in that there are two distinct methods of selling the activity, however, quite uniquely the activity piece has a structural difference depending on the chosen method which prevents venue from moving from one to the other without significant cost.
Time
When sold by time, American Pool will usually be purchased in increments of 30 minutes, usually hours to tie in with activities such as Duckpin Bowling, AR Darts and Karaoke. Balls are issued from a central point, by a member of staff and are simply caught in the pockets and re-racked by the players as needed. Usually a light control system, such as the one integrated in Brunswick Sync, will automatically control how long the light above the table stays on, so informing the customer and staff when the game time has finished.
This approach has the benefit of providing guaranteed dwell time through the purchased period, and therefore the accompanying F&B spend, and is generally seen as a more premium offering. However, customer throughput is then as limited as other hourly sold items – with the worst-case scenario of 2 players booking an hour at peak time being the particular risk, effectively cutting in 3 the F&B spend attached to that floor space, which is a critical metric when operating a profitable competitive socialising space.
Traditionally this sale method was common in specialised American Pool venues – such as pool halls – and leisure focused centres with a large number of tables, unrestricted by a tight floor space. Today, this would be the common approach where American Pool is being treated as a primary activity in its own right.
Game
Sold by game, American Pool will command a small fee for a single play through, with the object balls retained by the table on an internal rail mechanism. This approach clearly differs from most other activities, as the game time – while defined by how good the players are – will average out at under 10 minutes. Due to the balls being retained when potted, this means that the table can be used without the need for staff intervention – beyond the service of drinks and general cleaning of the area.
Conversely to selling pool by time, game pool doesn’t drive guaranteed dwell time – after all, it’s possible to play one game in a matter of minutes and then leave.
Instead, the main benefit of selling by the game is the ability to cycle through multiple groups of customers quickly, allowing a venue to provide an activity which can be used easily when people are waiting to play Tier 1 activities.
Traditionally this method would be used in venues which desire high customer turnover on the tables, and where American Pool is ancillary to other activities which act as the primary visit driver – and the same holds true today.
Recent innovation allowing contactless card payment to dispense balls even on high quality commercial grade American tables has brought the activity firmly into focus again, and has made the game play method of American Pool sale to a great option for venues looking for supporting activities.
Conclusion
The history of American pool is a testament to its enduring appeal and versatility. From its humble beginnings to its status as a staple in pubs and bars, the game has proven to be much more than just a pastime. For UK leisure and hospitality venues, incorporating American pool can provide numerous benefits, from enhancing the customer experience to generating additional revenue. By embracing this classic game, venues can create vibrant, engaging spaces that attract and retain customers, ensuring long-term success in a competitive industry.
Our range of commercial pool tables can be viewed on our webshop.
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