For the days and hours leading up to the NFL’s Super Bowl LX on February 8, it’s show time for beverage alcohol retailers. “The Super Bowl is typically one of the stronger single-day events of the year for beverage alcohol sales,” says Sadr Amir, CEO of Downtown Spirits and Esquin Wine & Spirits in Seattle, Washington.
This year’s championship features the Seattle Seahawks versus the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. “The game falls right as we’re coming off Dry January,” Amir says. “As a result, we usually see a meaningful lift over the days preceding the game driven primarily by advance purchasing for watch parties, other gatherings, and increased day-of, last-minute sales.”
Sales typically surge across categories in what appears to be a win-win scenario for the retail tier. “The gains are most pronounced in beer, spirits—particularly vodka, Tequila, whisk(e)y, and RTDs,” Amir says. “Premium spirits also see a bump tied to hosting occasions. Wines in the $15–$30 range performs best, with sparkling wines doing especially well on game day.”
Amir and his team are taking a 360-degree marketing approach around the Super Bowl to drive store traffic. “Whether it’s direct marketing, email marketing, or local media outreach to secure coverage we can repurpose on social media, it’s worth the investment,” he says. “We’re not promoting a single brand specifically tied to the Super Bowl. Our focus is category-led, emphasizing variety for group gatherings. As the RTD category continues to gain share, we’ve expanded our selection to include more brands and formats, including single-serve and multi-pack options.”
While the Super Bowl is a top annual beverage alcohol sales occasion, sales occur differently from major holidays. “Compared to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, the Super Bowl is event-driven compressed into a shorter period of time, with the majority of sales happening in the days immediately leading up to the game rather than over an extended season,” Amir says.
From highly anticipated commercials to the half-time show, the Super Bowl has become a hyped-up football cultural event drawing diverse viewers. “While football is equated with beer and whisk(e)y drinkers, a lot of people watching the Super Bowl don’t watch professional sports, especially football,” says Ryan Maloney, owner, Julio’s Liquor store in Westborough, Massachusetts. “All of a sudden, everyone’s having a Super Bowl party. You see a slight bump up in sales of other categories, especially premixed cocktails and wine.”
Maloney plans to be brand specific in his Super Bowl promotions through email blasts. “This is when you bring out your heavy hitters,” he says. “You put out those brands people are looking for to throw a big party.”
Wine brands being promoted at Julio’s include J. Lohr ($13 a 750-ml.), Josh ($13), Bread and Butter ($11), Barefoot ($7), and Woodbridge ($11 a 1.5-liter bottle). “We’ll be pushing everyday low prices,” Maloney says. “They’re big brands that will go at this time of year.”
Maloney is encouraging customers to stock at-home bars with RTDs such as Tip Top ($5 a 100-ml. can) and other spirits, including Fireball Small Batch Dragon Reserve ($20 a 750-ml.) and Four Roses ($20 a 1-liter). “We’ll have Bloody Mary mixers and all the accoutrements on sale,” he says. “We’ll have the usual suspects like Tito’s ($30 a liter) and Svedka ($16 a 1.75-liter), but also our Julio’s vodka brand ($15) because 20% of the proceeds of those sales go to Sully’s Veterans Food Pantries of Project New Hope in Massachusetts.”
Bud Light with the Patriot’s logo ($28 a 30-pack of 12-ounce cans), Coors Light ($17 an 18-pack of 12-ounce cans), and Michelob Ultra ($18) have been trending strong at Julio’s. Local brewer Jack’s Abby’s Masshole Light Lager ($15 a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans) and micro-beers Allagash Variety and Fiddlehead IPA (both $17) are also popular. “I’ve been drinking Masshole during the games, and the Patriots have been winning,” Maloney says. “I’m sticking with it.”
At Royal Wines and Spirits in San Jose, California, Super Bowl beverage alcohol sales are historically stronger than they are for Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, and Memorial Day. “Following trends of the last couple of years, imported and craft beers, Margaritas, and hard seltzers like White Claw ($23 a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans) and High Noon ($30) have been big players in the Super Bowl,” says store owner David Tabibian. “We make sure the ice box is full and we’re fully stocked everywhere.”
Although Royal Wines and Spirits is just a 15–20-minute drive to Levi’s stadium, Tabibian notes his sales would experience a more substantial spike if the San Francisco 49ers were playing. Nevertheless, he’s focusing on preparing for the big event. “We’ll have online and social media marketing, instore signs, and point of sales information,” he says, noting there will be local shows, concerts, and events connected to the Super Bowl. “We talk about sports with our customers. We bring it up in conversation and let them know we are here.”
Popular imported- and specialty-beers at Royal include Modelo ($11 a 6-pack of 12-ounce cans), Pacifico ($9.49), Lagunitas ($12), and Sierra Nevada ($10-$13). Local craft beer favorites include Humble Sea’s Hwy 1 & Done ($25 a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans) and Original Pattern’s Crosshatch Kolsch W Admiral Malt ($17).
Top-selling Tequilas for Margaritas at Royal include Sauza Hornitos Plata Artist Edition ($24 a 750-ml.), Patron Silver ($45), Tequila Ocho Plata ($43), and Cazadores Blanco ($24). Tabibian also anticipates a bump in light white wine sales. “It’s a day-evening mix event,” he says. “People want something lighter and easier to drink.”