How to show sports in a restaurant? - Tips for the technology

Text updated 30.3.2026

Have you been thinking about showing sports in your restaurant, but you are not quite sure what kind of technology it requires? What devices do you need to stream sports channels, and what is the easiest technical solution? In this blog, you will find practical tips that make planning your setup and showing sports channels much easier.

Tips for showing sports in a restaurant

How to improve customer experience?

Tips for showing sports in a restaurant

Should you show sports via a set-top box or a computer?

Sports broadcasting is strongly associated with set-top boxes, as they have been popular for decades thanks to their reliability. However, thanks to today’s fast and high-quality internet connections, the situation has changed – streaming sports from a computer is now a very viable option.

The challenge with set-top boxes is the extra devices, cables, installation work, space requirements, and overall clunkiness they involve. Since the selection of channel packages has grown significantly, and the rights to show sports broadcasts are spread across several providers, showing sports through set-top boxes can become quite difficult. As seasons change and customer requests vary, it does not take much for the cables to become a tangled mess.

Computers make it possible to stream sports broadcasts through just one application, reducing the need for extra devices and cables. This lowers technical investments and makes the system easier to use. Modern technology and internet connections have brought significant advantages for restaurants that want to offer sports experiences without complicated and expensive setups.

Experiences from our customers:

Sailor's Bar & Grill – A sailor's pub full of atmosphere and sports

Experiences from our customers:

Showing sports through Feelment

Considering the needs of restaurateurs is extremely important, because no one benefits from spending working hours fighting with technology. That is why we started developing an easy-to-use solution for showing sports in restaurants. Through Feelment, you can show all content from MTV Sports, Viaplay Sports channels, and Ruutu from a single device. Sports content on Viaplay outside the Viaplay Sports channels (formerly V sport channels) is also available through the Viaplay streaming service (own app or viaplay.com). We provide separate login credentials for the Viaplay streaming service if, when ordering a Viaplay sports package, you let us know that you want access to Viaplay’s full sports offering.

Feelment’s extensive sports selection, easy-to-use interface, and technical support available every day of the year ensure that you can focus on serving your customers. Modern technology also allows services to keep improving without requiring new hardware purchases. Best of all, you do not need to remember everything yourself. When Feelment updates, your restaurant updates too. Simply choose the channel packages your customers want, and the games can begin! For more information about channel packages and pricing, click here.

What Devices Do I Need to Show Sports in a Restaurant?

You can stream Feelment sports broadcasts through the Feelment application downloaded onto a Windows 11 computer. To get the broadcasts onto a TV screen, you naturally need a connection between the computer and the television. You can connect the computer either through cabling or wirelessly via Google TV. If cabling or wireless connections create challenges, you can order our Blackbox service. More information about all options can be found below.

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Rent devices from us for a fixed monthly price

Missing the equipment?

Tips for Cabling

We always recommend connecting the computer to the television with an HDMI cable, as this provides the best reliability. For sports broadcasts, we recommend cables under 10 metres in length (for distances over 10 metres, you will need an active HDMI cable). If you want to show the same broadcast on several screens at the same time, you will also need an HDMI matrix switch or splitter. These allow all screens to show the same broadcast in sync. When it comes to cabling, splitters, and matrix switches, we recommend consulting AV professionals at a low threshold. That way, everything is done properly the first time. You can ask our technical support for recommendations on AV companies.

Streaming sports wirelessly

In addition to cabling, or instead of it, you can also stream sports broadcasts wirelessly. Wireless streaming works through the Feelment app and the Feelment TV app. The Feelment TV app is downloaded to the television through Google TV, so for wireless streaming you will need one of the following:

• An Android TV (operating system version 12 or newer)
• A Chromecast with Google TV
• A Google TV Streamer device
• A Google TV Stick device

If you are shopping for devices, you can forget about looking for a Chromecast, as Google has stopped producing new Chromecast devices. Chromecast has been replaced by the Google TV Streamer, so that is the device you should add to your shopping list. If you want to show the same broadcast on several screens simultaneously, you can connect the Chromecast or Google TV Streamer to a splitter. This ensures the picture stays perfectly in sync across all screens.

Once you have Google TV working, you can download the Feelment TV app onto the television from the device’s app store. After that, you can start streaming sports broadcasts wirelessly from the Feelment app. More instructions for setting up devices and streaming sports broadcasts are available on our support site or by calling our technical support at +358 29 1234 122.

Tips for choosing an Internet connection

A good internet connection is especially important for sports broadcasts, because if the internet connection cuts out, the broadcast cuts out too. For this reason, we always recommend using a wired Ethernet connection. To ensure sports streams run smoothly, your network speed should be at least 10 Mbps per broadcast. If you are showing several sports broadcasts at the same time, you will need at least 10 Mbps for each one. For example, if you are showing three broadcasts simultaneously, your network speed should be at least 30 Mbps.

What is the Blackbox service?

It is important to be able to control sports broadcasts directly from behind the bar, but sometimes cabling from the TV screens to the bar area is difficult, and wireless streaming is not an option. Feelment’s Blackbox service solves this problem by allowing you to manage sports remotely through our My Feelment website.

Blackbox is like a modern version of a set-top box. We provide a separate Blackbox device, about the size of a traditional set-top box, which is connected via cable to the internet, TV screens, and sound system. Thanks to remote control, the actual Blackbox device can be placed in a back room, technical room, or behind a television. After that, TV broadcasts can be controlled from a computer behind the bar or even from a phone through a web browser and the My Feelment website.

We always deliver the Blackbox device ready to use, so installation requires nothing more than connecting the cables and switching the device on. If you want to stream several different broadcasts at the same time, you will need more than one Blackbox. Interested in the service? 👉 Check the prices and contact us!

How to Advertise on TV Screens for Free

Displaying ads on your restaurant’s screens is an easy way to enhance the flow of sports broadcasts. With Feelment's Advertising service, you can promote sports on your restaurant’s TV screens entirely for free. For example, you can show ads about upcoming sports schedules or let customers know which game is about to start on a particular screen. You don’t have to create the ads yourself — our Advertising service library offers a wide selection of ready-made sports ads. Digital ads are also a great way to share timely information, such as your restaurant’s opening hours or pricing details.

The convenience is further enhanced by the ability to make quick changes to the ads; you can easily add or remove ads on short notice. Utilizing a high-quality advertising service is key to clear and effective customer communication, as well as boosting sales. Taking full advantage of this versatile technology adds to the atmosphere on both sides of the bar — exactly what sports fans expect from a restaurant! Learn more about Feelment's Advertising service by clicking here.

Boost your restaurant’s sales with advertising screens

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Did you know: Publicly broadcasting television programs requires a music license, as television serves as a source of background music. Background music licenses also cover the music heard on television, so no separate license is needed in addition to this.