Alive and kicking

As the demand for dynamic and engaging social spaces grows, shopping centres, mixed-use developments, and airports are increasingly incorporating live entertainment and sports to enhance the visitor experience. By offering live music, sports broadcasts, and interactive activities, these venues are becoming more appealing to a wider range of visitors.

We examine how various locations are leveraging live entertainment and sports to create unique environments and drive footfall.

Malls
As football's popularity grows across the Middle East, the need for social spaces to watch games is increasing. The Mall of Qatar in Doha has become a prime example of how spaces can be transformed to meet this demand. During major tournaments, the central plaza of the mall is turned into a lively, festive atmosphere, drawing in crowds of fans with a large 360-degree screen streaming all the games. Nearby restaurants offer rotating global menus, allowing visitors to enjoy a variety of international cuisines. This combination of live sports and diverse food options creates a dynamic social hub that enhances the overall experience for visitors.

This summer, for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Battersea Power Station in London has set up the Team GB Fan Zone at the shopping centre. The area features big screens showing live sports from Paris and interactive activities like ping pong and badminton. Food stalls and bars further enhance the visitor experience. The Fan Zone festivities run in tandem with seasonal brand activations within the shopping centre from athleisure retailers that include cycle speed racing and fitness classes.

Mixed use developments
BOXPARK in Shoreditch, London, is a mixed-use development that brings together local food vendors and independent retailers. It has also become one of the most popular places to watch England during major football tournaments (and its crowds are frequently shown on TV). Big screens and football-themed décor create a lively atmosphere, making BOXPARK a popular spot throughout international tournaments. Tickets for England games are sold at £25 each, including a £10 food credit, boosting revenue and supporting the independent food vendors in the development.

In Berlin, the Mercedes-Benz flagship store covers more than 9,000 square metres, featuring a showroom, merchandise store, exhibition space, and café. Recently, the space has been repurposed into a 3,000-capacity fan zone for Euro 2024 where fans congregate to watch games on large screens amidst Mercedes-Benz's latest automobile offerings. Mercedes-Benz anticipates that the increased foot traffic will boost sales and trigger interest in its cars. Tickets for the fan zone are free and have been in high demand, selling out for every Germany game.

Airports
Airport operators are also using live entertainment to create a unique proposition. Heathrow Airport has launched a live music stage in Terminal 5 to showcase up-and-coming acts to industry executives flying in for the festival season. With an expected 30 million passengers this summer, Heathrow claims the stage offers artists access to a larger audience than Glastonbury.

Similar to Heathrow, Nashville Airport also activates its terminal space with live music. Building upon the region's musical heritage, the airport has placed multiple stages where local artists play throughout the day. Its introduction of live music performances aims to enhance the traveller experience, support local musicians, and reflect Nashville's cultural identity, making it a standout example of how airports can use live entertainment to create a more vibrant and welcoming environment.


The integration of live sports and entertainment across shopping centres, mixed-use developments, and airports has significantly enhanced the visitor experience while driving increased footfall. In malls, live sport screenings have become magnets for social gatherings, boosting foot traffic and extending visitor dwell times. Mixed-use developments have successfully boosted revenue through ticket sales. Meanwhile, airports such as Heathrow and Nashville have utilised live music to activate their spaces, aiming to improve customer mood and thereby increase dwell times and potential spending. These initiatives create dynamic and engaging environments with live broadcasts, music performances, and interactive activities, meeting the rising demand for vibrant social spaces.

Charlie Gaisford