WASHINGTON, DC–When DC United's Audi Field at Buzzard Point delivers in June 2018, we can expect sports bars to aggressively seek out spaces around the new venue, according to a lighthearted analysis of the local pub scene by JLL.

As you might have observed, sports bars tend to cluster around sports venues such as the Capital One Arena (formerly the Verizon Center) and Nationals Park. East End is the densest submarket in the city with 12 sports bars in total and 10 within three blocks of the Arena — eight of which are directly on or just off of 7th Street, JLL noted. Sports bars also tend to cluster in block groups where there is high spending on beer and ale. [see chart].

JLL also notes that the average age of a sports bar in DC is nine years old, although some are significantly older than others. For instance, the average year a sports bar in Georgetown opened was 1982. In Dupont Circle/CBD submarkets, by contrast, it is closer to 2003.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Ballpark, U Street, Shaw and H Street have an average opening date of 2013. The youngest sports bar neighborhood is Uptown with emerging neighborhoods such as Petworth, Columbia Heights and Brightwood having an average opening date of 2014.

Finally, JLL reports that 91% of the sports bars in DC are locally owned, meaning they are regional chains or mom & pop establishments, although national / global brands like Buffalo Wild Wings and Yard House have entered the market in the last two years.

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