00:00For most people, football's always been more than the match.
00:04It's about the atmosphere, the crowd, the ritual.
00:07But not everyone wants the same matchday experience.
00:10Some want the noise in the pub, others want something more relaxed
00:13or somewhere they can bring their kids.
00:16That's where these newer venues come in, not to replace what already exists,
00:20but to add more choice.
00:22Because when fans have options, more of them show up
00:25and that can only be good for the game.
00:27We've seen such a brilliant and diverse range of a fan base
00:32that have come to watch with us.
00:33Whether they're here to watch on the big screen,
00:36whether they're in boxes participating.
00:38And I think the unique thing with these big tournaments
00:41is they really encourage participation,
00:44they inspire and they bring people together.
00:47And I think that's what we've really started to see
00:50with this movement in women's football in particular.
00:53If you're not into drinking or big crowds
00:55or being crammed into a packed room,
00:58a lot of matchday venues can feel off-putting.
01:01Doesn't mean they're wrong, it just means they're not for everyone.
01:04For football to reach more people,
01:06the culture around it has to offer a few different ways in.
01:10You can still have passion and pride in a quieter setting
01:12and not everyone who loves football
01:14wants to yell at a screen to prove it.
01:16So I think when it comes to somewhere like Toka Social,
01:20the big difference is, number one,
01:23that everybody is welcome to be part of this.
01:26I think number two is that we all, I think,
01:30are sort of gunning sportsmen at heart.
01:32And when we get to watch the game,
01:34there's nothing better than being able to get into a box
01:36and participate too.
01:38I think it doesn't hurt when you can be somewhere
01:41where there's great food and drink,
01:42whether you're with your family, with your friends
01:45or with your colleagues with work.
01:47So really, it's all about that 360 experience.
01:51And now I think, rightly so,
01:53a lot of fans are looking for something more
01:55than just the standard pint
01:57and maybe 50% view of a screen.
01:59What venues are like this offer is a middle ground.
02:02You can still get the buzz of a shared screen
02:04and the feeling of being part of something.
02:07But it's not all or nothing.
02:08You don't have to drink, you don't have to stand
02:10and you don't need to prove you're a real fan to be there.
02:13That opens the door to different kinds of fans,
02:16older ones, younger ones
02:17and those who maybe never saw match day
02:20as something for them in the first place.
02:23I think there is, without doubt,
02:25a really, really positive shift
02:27in fan culture at the moment.
02:29I think we've seen that for ourselves,
02:32even just in the last game,
02:34which I know unfortunately didn't go the way
02:36that we wanted when it came to England,
02:38but 150 guests through the venue,
02:41so many different types of fans.
02:43And I think also people wanting to do something
02:47as well as watch something.
02:48So we'll always open our game boxes
02:51for people to come and have a good time beforehand.
02:54And I think undoubtedly,
02:56it's going to continue to move in this direction.
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