# Liquor Store TV on Game Day: Can a Pregame Screen Boost Party Sales?

> It can help, but as a reminder, not an attraction. A muted pregame broadcast near the checkout tells shoppers the game is close and the watch party is not fully stocked yet, which nudges them toward ice, mixers, cups and snacks. Placement, captions and what you stage beside the screen do most of the work.

Source: https://www.sportsdirectllc.com/blog/liquor-store-tv-game-day · Blog · Last reviewed 2026-11-03 · Sports Direct | DLM Media

## The rush before kickoff

Anyone who runs a liquor or package store knows the shape of game day. Traffic builds through the morning, peaks in the last stretch before kickoff, goes quiet once the game starts, then picks up again at halftime from people who ran out. Most of those shoppers walk in with a short mental list, usually the drink they came for, and walk out without the three things they will wish they had grabbed. A liquor store TV on game day is a simple way to catch them before they leave.

The point is not to turn your store into a place to watch the game. Nobody wants to stand in a package store for the first quarter. The point is to put the game in front of shoppers at the moment they are about to pay, so they think about the party they are heading to rather than the bottle in their hand.

## What a screen near the register actually does

A pregame broadcast works as a prompt. A shopper in line sees the analysts at the desk, the stadium shots and the countdown to kickoff, and their mind jumps ahead to the gathering: the cooler, the guests, the friend who always shows up empty-handed. That is when the useful questions surface. Do we have ice? Did anyone get limes? Are there enough cups?

This is a different job from the one screens do in a sporting goods store, where a game can keep browsers on the floor longer. We cover that approach in [live sports in a retail store](/blog/live-sports-in-retail-store). In a liquor store, the visit is short and purposeful, and the screen earns its place by adding an item or two to a basket that was already headed for the register.

Be realistic about the effect. A TV will not turn every quick stop into a big order, and some shoppers will never look up. What it can do is make the reminder feel natural instead of pushy. It also gives your cashiers an easy opener: a glance at the screen and a friendly "Grabbing ice for the game?" lands far better than a cold upsell.

## Liquor store TV placement for game day

Where the screen goes matters more than how big it is. A few practical rules:

- **Face the checkout line.** Mount the screen above or just behind the counter, angled toward people waiting, so it reads at a glance without anyone craning their neck.
- **Keep it away from the door.** A game at the entrance invites people to stop in the doorway, which is the last thing you want during the pre-kickoff crush.
- **Mute it and turn captions on.** Shoppers only need the score, the clock and the pregame graphics. Audio competes with your staff and with customers asking questions. Our [retail store TV questions](/faq/retail-store-tv-questions) page covers sound and placement in more detail.
- **Mind the cashier's sightline.** The screen should face customers, not your team. A cashier watching a replay is a cashier not scanning.
- **Choose a size that fits the space.** It needs to be readable from the back of the line, not dominate the store.

> **Tip:** If your coolers and ice chest sit along the path to the register, a second smaller screen near them can do the same reminding job for people who have not reached the line yet.

## Stage the add-ons where the screen points

The screen raises the question; the display beside it answers it. If a shopper remembers the ice but has to walk to the far corner to find it, many will skip it. Put the watch-party items within arm's reach of where people stand while they look at the game.

| Game-day moment | What is on screen | What to stage within reach |
|---|---|---|
| Morning build | Pregame analysis and previews | Ice, cups, mixers, limes, bottle openers |
| Final stretch before kickoff | Countdown, lineups, stadium shots | Grab-and-go cases, chilled singles, salty snacks |
| Halftime | First-half recap and score | Cold refills, ice, single-serve items for the second half |
| Late game and evening | Live action and highlights | Water, cleanup basics such as trash bags and paper towels |

What you can carry beyond beverages depends on your state and your license, so build the list around what you are allowed to sell and confirm anything unusual with your own advisors.

A few low-effort ideas pair well with the screen:

1. A small sign at the register along the lines of "Game today? Don't forget the ice."
2. A pre-built watch-party bundle display near the line, refreshed for the week's matchup.
3. Team colors on the endcap closest to checkout during the season.
4. A quick reminder to staff before the rush so they know which game is on and when it starts.

## Running it week to week

The best setups take almost no attention once they are in place. Decide before you open which game goes on, and set it then, so nobody is hunting for the remote during the rush. Local teams come first; when several games overlap, pick the one most of your regulars care about.

Occasionally a game will not be available in your area. If a DIRECTV receiver shows a blackout message, our page on [DIRECTV error 727](/help/error-codes/error-727) explains what it means so staff can switch to another game rather than troubleshoot.

Outside of game days, the screen still has work to do. Slow, visual content or a relaxed music channel suits a store between events, and our piece on [what to play on store TVs](/blog/what-to-play-on-store-tvs) walks through options by zone. Around the holidays, the [retail store holiday TV](/guides/retail-store-holiday-tv) plan helps you treat screens as part of crowd flow when the store is at its busiest.

To find out whether it is paying off, use the data you already have. Pull point-of-sale numbers for the add-on items, such as ice, mixers and cups, on game days after the screen went up, and compare them with similar game days before it. Look at basket size during the pre-kickoff window, not just total sales. If the add-ons are not moving, adjust the display before you blame the screen.

## Licensing the screen and the next step

A TV behind your counter showing live sports to customers is generally treated as a business use. Residential service is generally intended for private viewing, so it is worth confirming the right licensing for your store before the screen goes up, even if it is a single TV in a small shop. The details depend on your location and setup, which is why a short conversation with a specialist is the sensible first move.

Sports Direct | DLM Media is an authorized commercial dealer with 30+ years of experience and technicians and engineers in all 50 states. We handle [commercial TV for business](/directv-for-business), from programming to equipment, installation and support, which you can see on our [services](/services) page.

If you are weighing a screen near the register for this season, [reach out to our team](/contact) for a custom quote and a straightforward conversation about what fits your store.

## Frequently asked questions

### Will a TV near the register slow down my checkout line?

It should not if it is set up well. Mount it so it faces customers while they wait, not your cashiers, and keep it muted with captions so nobody is asking staff to turn it up. The bigger risk is placing it near the entrance, where people pause in the doorway. Kept above or just behind the counter, the screen gives waiting customers something to look at, which can make a busy line feel shorter rather than longer.

### Should the game have sound in a liquor store?

Usually not. A package store visit is short, and shoppers only need the score, the clock and the pregame graphics to get the reminder. Audio competes with your staff answering questions and can feel loud in a small space. Captions carry the essentials. If you want some atmosphere, keep a low background music channel elsewhere in the store and leave the screen near checkout silent.

### I own several liquor stores. How should I plan screens across them?

Start with a shared playbook rather than deciding store by store. Agree on where the screen goes relative to the register, which games take priority, what plays between events and which add-on displays sit beside it. Then adjust for each shop's layout and customer mix. Account and licensing details can vary by location, so it is worth reviewing each store's setup with a specialist rather than assuming one arrangement covers them all.

### What should the screen show when there is no game?

Something that does not pull attention away from shopping. Slow, visual content, scenic programming or a relaxed music channel suits a liquor store between events. Some owners also show news or weather during the week. Avoid busy talk programming that makes people stop and stare. On the run-up to a big weekend, a preview show can start building the reminder a day or two early.

Talk to a specialist: 888-688-1699 (New Sales) or https://www.sportsdirectllc.com/contact