Are Sporting Events Right For Corporate Entertaining?

Anyone who has ever been on a corporate entertainment day will testify that they can be very boring. Most events take place in the same location every year, with the same faces and similar entertainment.Sometimes you get lucky and the events are actually really entertaining and involve doing something a bit different. Sporting events are a pretty safe bet for most corporate hospitality days, but even they have weaknesses. Here are the pluses and minuses.

Pros. As the sports performers are the ones providing the entertainment at these events, the pressure on the host to keep people happy is dramatically reduced. This means everyone can relax and enjoy themselves that bit more. Further more, as most sports events are of a reasonable length of time, you can dip in and out of the action whilst carrying out important business discussions at the same time. Imagine trying to discuss yearly KPIs over the overpowering voice of an opera singer.

Cons. Unbelievably, sport is not enjoyed by everyone equally. Some people will be over the moon watching the horse racing at a Cheltenham hospitality event, some people will be indifferent, and some will likely be so bored they either fall asleep or start talking to themselves. You obviously cannot please everyone, but it is worth checking if most people are fans of underwater hockey before you book the tickets. The other potential hazard of sport corporate entertainment is ironically the opposite.It is not uncommon for some to become more interested in the sport they are watching than the company they are in, especially if they are big supporters of the teams or individuals involved in the event. Enthusiasm and competiveness are great qualities to unleash on team building days, but they are not so desired when the goals of the corporate entertainment day are networking and maintaining client relations.