Miami Heat Cost Florida Bar $30,000

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  • tltaylor89
    SBR Posting Legend
    • 06-19-09
    • 19610

    #1
    Miami Heat Cost Florida Bar $30,000
    For the Miami Heat season opener against the Boston Celtics, John Todora and his business partner Bob Hartley had an idea that would likely increase business at their bar.

    They'd promise to pay the bar tab if the Heat lost.

    The rules?

    Fans much come into the bar, Whiskey Tango in Hollywood, Fla., located about 20 miles from Miami, and sign up on a list at least 30 minutes before tipoff. If the Heat lost the game, that fan would earn a $25 credit towards his or her alcohol bill.

    The Heat lost the game, played on Oct. 27, 80-88. And although the bar lost $4,000 in lost beer and liquor sales, Todora and Hartley decided to extend the offer for the rest of the season.

    "We figured, why not make our bar a home for Miami Heat games," Todora told CNBC. "As a fan, you can't lose. If they win, you go home happy. If you lose, we've at least compensated you in some way."

    But Todora couldn't have foreseen that he'd be paying out so many bar bills. The Heat, stacked with LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, were predicted by some to give the 1995-96 Bulls a run for their record 72-game win season. But through the first 17 games, the Heat have collapsed. A loss against the Mavericks on Saturday, made their record 9-8.

    So how have eight losses hurt Whiskey Tango?

    "We've refunded about $30,000 worth of drinks," Todora said.

    Does he regret that he promised to do this for the season? Did he take any sort of insurance?

    The answers are no and no.

    "We're pretty much unprotected from an insurance standpoint, so we're kind of at the mercy of the Heat," Todora said. "But we're happy we did this. It has given us so much publicity."

    Todora said that people have come from miles away, passing plenty of sports bars to come to Whiskey Tango. Some Clevelanders visiting Miami even decided to watch a game at the bar.

    "I asked where they found out about us and they told me that they read about our losses in the Cleveland Plain Dealer," Todora said.


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    So how are the losses "worth it?" Well, first consider that while the bar has paid off $30,000 in bills, Whiskey Tango paid less than $10,000 for the alcohol itself — the rest is the standard markup.

    In exchange, Whiskey Tango has been talked about on networks from ESPN to CNN and Todora says he has done more than 60 radio interviews.

    "I couldn't buy that for $10,000," Todora said.

    Todora said $25 typically covers all a person can drink in the three hours it takes to watch the game, including getting there 30 minutes before. Beers average about $3 each and there are bucket deals. Fans must stay until the end of the game to receive their $25 rebate, which only comes off the alcohol bill and is given in the form of a gift card.

    While Todora is happy about all the publicity, he says as a converted Heat fan, he'd rather not see the team lose. He's actually worried that even with the promotion, people will stop coming into the bar if the team loses too many games.

    Said Todora: "In New York, they'll keep watching the games so they could boo you and get angry, it's not that way here. People will jump off the bandwagon as quickly as they jumped on it."
  • Powderguy
    SBR Hall of Famer
    • 09-18-09
    • 6939

    #2
    HAHA prepare to refund alot more money
    Comment
    • NrmlCurvSurfr
      SBR MVP
      • 04-05-10
      • 2896

      #3
      Not a bad deal for the bar. Cheap advertising.
      Last edited by NrmlCurvSurfr; 11-29-10, 12:24 PM.
      Comment
      • tltaylor89
        SBR Posting Legend
        • 06-19-09
        • 19610

        #4
        Fishhead is driving to Miami as we speak.
        Comment
        • MadTiger
          SBR MVP
          • 04-19-09
          • 2724

          #5
          Originally posted by NrmlCurvSurfr
          Not a bad deal for the bar. Cheep advertising.
          Yep.

          $10,000 for the exposure they've gotten is an absolute STEAL. If they were to pay for the media time and ink they have gotten out of this, it would far exceed $10K.

          They have made out pretty damn good. Food sales cover that $10K alcohol bill.
          Comment
          • crustyme
            SBR Posting Legend
            • 09-29-10
            • 16896

            #6
            in related news, they have unveiled a new website..... www.fire-erik-spoelstra.com
            Comment
            • Flexin
              SBR Wise Guy
              • 10-09-10
              • 969

              #7
              Originally posted by NrmlCurvSurfr
              Not a bad deal for the bar. Cheep advertising.
              True. That is a bargain. Advertising like that can cost millions.

              James
              Comment
              • jjgold
                SBR Aristocracy
                • 07-20-05
                • 388179

                #8
                Bad business owners

                they deserve it
                Comment
                • stevek173
                  BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                  • 03-29-08
                  • 27598

                  #9
                  Lol too funny. Talk about shooting yourself in the nuts.
                  Comment
                  • Flexin
                    SBR Wise Guy
                    • 10-09-10
                    • 969

                    #10
                    Originally posted by jjgold
                    Bad business owners

                    they deserve it

                    How are they bad business owners? They put their business on the map.

                    James
                    Comment
                    • alling
                      SBR MVP
                      • 05-13-10
                      • 1405

                      #11
                      suckers got what they deserved for believing the hype.
                      Comment
                      • tony_come
                        SBR Posting Legend
                        • 03-31-10
                        • 21695

                        #12
                        Rebates are given in gift card to be use at the same bar. This place is like costco. And costco does not lose money. Just look at the big picture...at the end the bar will make money.
                        Comment
                        • marcoloco
                          SBR MVP
                          • 07-05-10
                          • 3986

                          #13
                          Originally posted by MadTiger
                          Yep.

                          $10,000 for the exposure they've gotten is an absolute STEAL. If they were to pay for the media time and ink they have gotten out of this, it would far exceed $10K.

                          They have made out pretty damn good. Food sales cover that $10K alcohol bill.

                          plus tv time only gets you so much. news and promoting their bar will spread faster word of mouth than if he paid for all those radio commercials or tv time.
                          Comment
                          • Flexin
                            SBR Wise Guy
                            • 10-09-10
                            • 969

                            #14
                            Originally posted by alling
                            suckers got what they deserved for believing the hype.

                            Suckers? They have cost that total $10000 for $30000 in sales. So each win will pay for 2 losses. I think the odds are pretty good for this company.

                            James
                            Comment
                            • ryanjep
                              SBR MVP
                              • 12-09-08
                              • 2556

                              #15
                              promo def didnt go the way the owner thought
                              Comment
                              • Wilforth
                                Restricted User
                                • 05-10-08
                                • 16309

                                #16
                                They'll go out of business before the end of the season!
                                Comment
                                • rem sleep
                                  SBR MVP
                                  • 10-04-10
                                  • 1238

                                  #17
                                  There charging $3 for 1 beer. Thats a markup of 300%. Mixed drinks are even higher. Even if the Heat go .500 this season they will still make money. Pretty damn smart if you ask me.
                                  Comment
                                  • mcbaseball10
                                    SBR MVP
                                    • 02-11-09
                                    • 2866

                                    #18
                                    Thanks for the thread. I am not too far from there and will look into checking this place out (when the Heat are on the road.)
                                    Comment
                                    • ronald
                                      SBR MVP
                                      • 10-31-05
                                      • 4918

                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by tltaylor89
                                      Fishhead is driving to Miami as we speak.



                                      Took the words right out of my mouth.
                                      Comment
                                      • Doug
                                        SBR Hall of Famer
                                        • 08-10-05
                                        • 6324

                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by rem sleep
                                        There charging $3 for 1 beer. Thats a markup of 300%. Mixed drinks are even higher. Even if the Heat go .500 this season they will still make money. Pretty damn smart if you ask me.
                                        Isn't that 200% ?

                                        Bar will be fine on this. Place must be packed. Refund is a gift card, too !, so you're still paying the 1st time. Factor in food sales for real money, also. Many might stay long after the game as well.

                                        I think you could pull this gimmick off with any sports team.

                                        $3 drafts alone are a decent bargain. The bar probably rocks in general. I doubt too many people just go to get maybe 8 free drafts 40% of the time, even that is really only costing maybe $5-6. There should be an automatic 18%+ tip on the full value of the product or a $5 or so mandatory tip....that should keep the riff-raff away....you can just buy a 12-pack of SHVT beer instead if looking for free beer.
                                        Comment
                                        • Mac4Lyfe
                                          SBR Aristocracy
                                          • 01-04-09
                                          • 48374

                                          #21
                                          Sounds like the bar is changing their tune. Originally they said they would pay the entire bill, including food. Now they're just paying for alcohol? Fukkers are a bunch of renegers.
                                          Comment
                                          • Duby
                                            SBR MVP
                                            • 01-26-09
                                            • 3608

                                            #22
                                            the bar is getting good adertisement and the markup for bars are unreal.....they will be fine...im sure it didnt go as planned but they are not stupid, it was a calculated risk.
                                            Comment
                                            • craig4nr
                                              SBR Sharp
                                              • 12-18-09
                                              • 433

                                              #23
                                              This small bar has gotten national attention. Not a bad move. This probably hasn't gone as well as they'd hoped (paying out more often than they'd like) but it's going to get people in the door. pretty smart.
                                              Comment
                                              • Naarmo
                                                SBR Hustler
                                                • 02-06-10
                                                • 67

                                                #24
                                                Good advertisement,at first i thought "suckers deserved it" but since almost everyone interested in nba knows this story and knows this bar i think their fame brought them much more than 30k they lost.
                                                Comment
                                                • Baller85
                                                  SBR Sharp
                                                  • 03-21-10
                                                  • 305

                                                  #25
                                                  Haha I don't really think it's hurting them at all.
                                                  Comment
                                                  • wtf
                                                    SBR Posting Legend
                                                    • 08-22-08
                                                    • 12983

                                                    #26
                                                    watch for copy cats
                                                    Comment
                                                    • Flexin
                                                      SBR Wise Guy
                                                      • 10-09-10
                                                      • 969

                                                      #27
                                                      Originally posted by wtf
                                                      watch for copy cats
                                                      This is not new. There is a furniture store in the US that runs a special that has to do with sports.

                                                      James
                                                      Comment
                                                      • arslan
                                                        SBR High Roller
                                                        • 08-08-10
                                                        • 163

                                                        #28
                                                        even when they are "losing", barz alwayz make money
                                                        Comment
                                                        • Deep_Rest
                                                          SBR Wise Guy
                                                          • 11-29-10
                                                          • 841

                                                          #29
                                                          It's good that they are gaining exposure. If not, they would probably be belly up. They needed to follow the #1 rule of gambling! Don't bet what you can't afford to lose!
                                                          Comment
                                                          • ukbro00
                                                            SBR Sharp
                                                            • 04-02-07
                                                            • 388

                                                            #30
                                                            They lost 30k so far, but its still early. Though by the end of the season, they might be down about $250,0000, they will certainly make up for it when the Heat win.
                                                            Comment
                                                            • byronbb
                                                              SBR MVP
                                                              • 11-13-08
                                                              • 3067

                                                              #31
                                                              Orlando to win division +400 gogoogogogogo
                                                              Comment
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