In recent years, a clear trend has emerged in the social landscape: competitive socialising. This phenomenon combines new experiences and entertainment with the joy of spending quality time with friends and loved ones.
What is Competitive Socialising?
At its core, competitive socialising involves activities that encourage friendly competition among participants. These activities often take place in dedicated venues designed to foster a lively atmosphere.
Unlike traditional social outings, competitive socialising adds an element of challenge, making the experience more dynamic and memorable.
The idea of competitive socialising is not a new concept. For many years groups of people have enjoyed gathering socially for a game of bowling, darts, or pool. Now though there is a much more varied list of options, including:
- Axe throwing; Pétanque; Shuffleboard; Escape rooms; Digital darts; Golf simulators; Cricket cages; Clay shooting; Football themed games (toca social); Virtual driving simulators (F1 Arcade); VR/AR rooms; Bingo;
- Plus versions of game-shows and board games such as The Cube, The Cystal Maze, and Life-size monopoly.
Essentially, anything that is accessible and easy to understand can work here, often with modern tech-based updates applied to these old-school games to enhance the user experience.
Social media as a driver
The changing social media landscape has influenced the thinking of these venues. People want to have experiences, but more-so show off these experiences. There is a desire for people to see what experiences people are having because of the social currency it gave them. All competitive socialising businesses work hard to provide those “instagrammable” moments, be it the venue, street-food, or fancy cocktails – it is all designed to be photographed and shared with the appropriate hashtags to drive awareness.
Shifting Cultural Trends
Younger generations are seeking entertainment that’s not centred around drinking. These cultural changes in attitudes towards drinking, and health in general, have helped drive the success of competitive socialising.
The expansion of the competitive socialising sector has been an incredible success story for the Hospitality industry. However, it’s growth seems to go hand in hand with a decline in nightclubs and dance culture, with attendance numbers decreasing and venues continuing to have to close.
One area of dance culture that remains strong is live festivals – it seems that they have escaped the decline experienced by nightclubs as they continue to offer the “experience” and the “instagrammable” moments that typical nightclubs cannot.
F&B is key
An onsite Food & Beverage offering is so important to competitive socialising venues, particularly if themed or at the very least presented in a way to appeal to the social-media savvy crowd.
A complimentary food and beverage offering will help to bring people in, make money, and increase dwell time (something that the wave of escape room locations have been terrible at).
Food & Beverage should not be held secondary to the experience – done well it will not just supplement, but typically exceed, revenue from the game itself.
Covid’s legacy
It is understood that the post-lockdown desire for social interaction has been a significant driver in the success of competitive socialising venues. Further to this, working from home patterns mean Friday has been dethroned as the big office night out, with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the three busiest days of the week.
Venues
Crucially, the rise of competitive socialising has thrown a lifeline to commercial real estate landlords. Much has been written about the so-called death of the British high street, and today competitive socialising businesses are taking over unused property, creating much-needed vibrancy and footfall for shopping centres and retail precincts, with most now featuring competitive socialising concepts as anchor tenants.
Early ground breakers Swinger’s miniature golf used a pop-up space to test their concept with paying customers. Making use of these cheaper commercial lets that usually become available when a property is between tenants, or will shortly be renovated or demolished, means that there are low barriers to entry.
The Appeal of Competitive Socialising
Social Connection
In an age where digital interactions often replace face-to-face communication, competitive socialising offers a refreshing alternative. It encourages people to engage directly, fostering deeper connections through shared experiences.
Stress Relief
Participating in competitive activities can be a great way to unwind. The focus on fun and competition allows individuals to temporarily escape daily stresses, promoting a sense of joy and relaxation.
Inclusivity
Competitive socialising is accessible to a wide range of people, regardless of skill level. Many venues offer beginner-friendly options, ensuring that everyone can participate and enjoy the experience.
Memorable Experiences
The combination of competition and social interaction creates lasting memories. Whether it’s celebrating a victory or laughing over a near miss, these experiences often become great memories shared among friends.
The Future of Competitive Socialising
We can certainly expect to see more innovative concepts emerge. Venues are likely to expand their offerings, incorporating new technologies and themes to enhance the competitive experience.
Competitive socialising is a movement blending competition with social interaction that allows us to connect with people, a connection too often missing in today’s world. Appealing to a diverse audience and attuned to current trends, competitive socialising offers a refreshing way to spend time. It feels like a trend that will be around for the long-term.
However, given the numerous options all vying for the same crowd, there is a risk of saturating the market, so new entrants and the established brands will have to PLAY smart over the coming years.
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