Sneakers Sports Bar - Could This Work In England?

[Billy Mays]

Spent a very enjoyable afternoon Sunday in Sneakers Sports Bar in Jacksonville. The set up for those not familiar is a huge bar/restaurant with massive TV screens each showing a different NFL game. Leaving aside whether or not you like American football you get to drink beer (including Stella - it's not all Bud and Miller!) and eat decent ribs/burgers/steak/chicken type food - the Yanks do this stuff so much better than the Brits - in a friendly environment with fans of just about every team in the country. No hint of animosity either. To round things off the Jags beat Indi 23-21 with a 51yd field goal 8 seconds from the end. Think a last minute winner at Selhurst Park for some context here.

I was with a colleague who was visiting from London (Arsenal fan) and we were both discussing whether this could work in England. At best , and leaving aside the whole issue of getting coverage of the games , it could be a Fans United type experience with everyone putting aside rivalries and having a great time in a family atmosphere. At worst it would be a huge ruck and the place would get trashed!!

Anyway no apologies if this comes over massively pro-American. I am!
For anyone planning a trip Stateside during the NFL season I would definitely recommend it as a good way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Not sure if Sneakers is nationwide - probably not - but there is sure to be an equivalent in the cold snowy Yankee north but I don't suppose the ribs and wings would be as good as they are here in the South.

Up the Albion and keep the faith. It will all turn around in the end.

 

[Djmiles]

No because no matter what people say there will always be one twat who will ruin it for the rest of us.

God bless England.

 

[Billy Mays]

That's pretty much the conclusion we reached. Shame though. The only thing that could improve it would be having a better sport to watch!

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

There is an equivalent in the cold snowy Yankee north - the ESPN Zone in Times Square. A lot of Yankees fans were there yesterday crying into their beer after Yankee Stadium shut it's gates for the last time. Great sports bar but beers are a bit pricey - even for New York. You can always move onto the Heartland Brewery just around the block which is cheaper - plenty of real ales - no Harveys as yet but the Farmer Johns Oatmeal Stout goes down very well, and they do BBQ spare ribs which even the Rednecks at work say are pretty damn good.

 

[Stat Brother]

The best sports bar I went in, somewhere in the mid-west.
Had all you mention as well as 1/2 a basketball court, 3 putting simulator machines, plus a load of pin ball, driving sims, et al.

The place was massive but had an area that felt like a bar, probably because it was the size of one.

 

[The Spanish]

you have the sports bar in the haymarket. full of foreigners and tourists but if you are stuck with some loppy mate who wants for some reason to watch whoosh take a bow son wankathons on a massive telly then its just like your one in the states.

mind you we did have a bit of a set to once in there but that was with some colonial back packing prick gobbing off about the rugby like anyone gave a f***. the football seems to pass off without incident considering how many london clubs get shown.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Dont think it would work here. Imagine if Liverpool,Manure,Tottenham, Arsenal,Rangers and Celtic were all playing each other on the same day.

Bloody carnage.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Dont think it would work here. Imagine if Liverpool,Manure,Tottenham, Arsenal,Rangers and Celtic were all playing each other on the same day.

Bloody carnage.

True enuff Mr H - but they'd sure-as-hell shift a whole lot of Wife Beater!

 

[Nibble]

It sounds like an awful place.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

True enuff Mr H - but they'd sure-as-hell shift a whole lot of Wife Beater!

There was briefly a "Sports Bar" thing for blokes in North St. with big F off tellies all over...lasted about 5 minutes..can't remember what it was called but obviously wasn't well recieved

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

I suppose the nearest we get to it is the walkabout where they show different games on different screens

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

When working in Birmingham I have been in the Sports Bar on Broad Street for Europeon and Premership games. I have to say it was a great atmosphere, table service for drinks and food. Real mix of fans, but yes it is really North Street (if that is a phrase).

However Leeds away last year we went to the one North of the main train station, was showing a Rangers game and we left after one drink, was a bit intense for our liking. I am sure these things work better in the States with American footy, over here Pubs and England matches are propbably the best for atmosphere.

 

[dazzalewis1968]

I lived in pittsburgh PA for 12 years . i very much miss going to Damons sports bar and grill. loved my sunday afternoon drinking beer eating hot wings watching the Steelers or Pengins play never any probs with fans mixing.........but sorry to say would never work here in uk .

 

[Gazwag]

Big difference is Americans dont support sport with the passion that the English do, passion and drinking = where problems can start. Also there are so few away fans due to the vast distances so there is no chance of conflict

 

[Wozza]

What benefit is there in having different sets of fans watching TVs in one building?!

(I suppose it gives Yanks something to do during all the commerical breaks.)

 

[Man of Harveys]

It sounds like an awful place.

To be fair, it's probably OK for laughing and pointing at the mulleted denizens to see if they'll shoot you. But yes, that's probably about it.

 

[Cian]

Two attempts at it here, one was woeful (ended up watching an Albion match there with NO SOUND as they couldn't isolate the sound systems in two different rooms) and has become a wanky bar/nightclub since; and the other is as rough as a bookies with booze, decor and clientele wise.

Last time I was in there, there was a Polish lad who 'fell' down the back stairs with some doormen right behind him They did however go out of their way to show 'obscure' games, there was a Championship game on TPS (French satellite) at the time - it was being shown.

 

[Nibble]

No thanks.