Adrenalen launches pub sports ad network in Australia

Adrenalen Group has launched Adrenalen Media, an in-venue sports advertising network for pubs, clubs and hospitality venues in Australia. The platform is designed to create a new revenue stream from live sport broadcasts.

The launch targets hospitality venues that have invested heavily in sports viewing areas as subscription fees, licensing charges and other operating costs have risen. Adrenalen Media sells digital out-of-home advertising to national brands and local sponsors, placing it on integrated LED banner inventory and separate digital screens around sports viewing areas.

Ads appear during live play, in breaks and around matches, while the game itself remains uninterrupted. The network also carries venue promotions, event notices and sports information including scores, statistics and news.

Mark Sturdy, Chief Executive Officer of Adrenalen Group, said the model is designed to let venues share in the advertising value linked to audiences already gathering for major sporting events.

"Live sport is one of the biggest reasons people walk through the doors of pubs and clubs, and the crowds venues pull in on game day are an audience advertisers already pay to reach. We think the venues creating that experience should finally share in the value their audiences generate," said Mark Sturdy, Chief Executive Officer of Adrenalen Group.

Sturdy said the platform also responds to the changing economics of showing live sport in hospitality venues.

"Until now, venues have only been on one side of the live sport economy, paying for the content that fills their rooms. Adrenalen Media puts them on both sides of the coin. As live sport grows in value, so does the advertising around it, and for the first time venues share in that upside instead of just wearing the cost," he said.

Venue economics

Hospitality operators have long used live sport to attract patrons, particularly for major football codes and other premium events. But the costs of that strategy have grown, with rising subscription charges for commercial sports services adding to broader venue expenses.

Adrenalen said campaign management, scheduling and reporting would be handled centrally, while venues would retain control over what appears on each screen. Advertising revenue would be shared with venues, and the model could add thousands of dollars a year to an individual site.

The proposal has drawn support from the Australian Hotels Association NSW, which represents hotels in the state.

"Hotels invest heavily in the live sport experience - the infrastructure, floor space, staff and amenities that make it possible. For years, that's generated valuable customer reach for third-party operators without venues sharing in the value created. We welcome initiatives that let venues capture more of that value from their existing assets," said John Whelan, Chief Executive Officer of Australian Hotels Association NSW.

National rollout

Venues have already signed up across the country, and advertiser demand had been building ahead of the launch. Adrenalen said it had secured a national footprint that would be active during the NRL and AFL finals period.

"The response in these early stages has genuinely exceeded our expectations. We'll have venues across the country live for the upcoming finals series - all earning while the biggest games of the year are on their screens," Sturdy said.

A further part of the rollout is a deal with hospitality network AllPour, which has appointed Adrenalen Media as its exclusive in-venue advertising partner. AllPour represents more than 400 pubs and bars nationwide, with the initial phase set to cover 100 venues before any wider expansion across the network.

The agreement gives Adrenalen access to a large existing base of sports-focused venues and offers AllPour members another commercial line tied to screen inventory they already operate.

"We're excited to partner exclusively with Adrenalen Media to unlock the advertising value of sports bars across our network. The response from our venues has been incredibly positive, with operators immediately recognising the commercial opportunity the platform presents. We can't wait to see the impact it has for venues across the country," said Peter Filipovic, Director of AllPour.

Broader strategy

The launch adds to Adrenalen Group's broader business in venue sport distribution, screen technology and live data. The group was established by Sturdy following the acquisition of businesses from Entain Australia & New Zealand, and now operates Adrenalen Sport, Adrenalen Vision, Adrenalen Edge and the new media arm.

Adrenalen Sport distributes sports channels to venues through content partnerships, while Adrenalen Vision focuses on LED display technology for hospitality settings. The addition of an advertising network suggests the group is building a more vertically integrated model around the commercial use of screens inside venues.

That approach reflects a broader trend in hospitality and digital out-of-home advertising, as operators look to monetise physical spaces and audience attention more directly. In sports bars and pubs, where patrons often spend extended periods on site and remain focused on screens, the pitch to advertisers is that venues can offer a concentrated, repeat audience in a social setting.

The key test for the model will be whether venues can add advertising without undermining the viewing experience that draws patrons in. Adrenalen's system keeps paid messages within a broader stream of sports-related content and venue promotions, while leaving the live match feed uninterrupted.

For venue operators facing higher costs for showing sport, the appeal is straightforward: use existing screens and existing footfall to generate an additional income stream.