From trivia nights and live bands to Friday night raffles and meat tray giveaways, familiar entertainment favourites continue to draw loyal crowds to clubs week after week. But with rising competition, clubs are now investing in purpose-built entertainment spaces that broaden their appeal and support long-term growth.
At Victoria Point Sharks Sporting Club in Queensland’s Redland Bay region, a recent major upgrade to the club’s children’s area is reshaping the way families interact with the venue where the kids’ area was more than just an afterthought
“Our new kids’ room has been an exciting addition to the club and plays a significant role in shaping our overall entertainment offering,” general manager Rhys Faint said.
“It was designed with the intention of making the club more family-friendly and inclusive. We’ve found that by providing a safe, engaging space for children, parents are able to relax and enjoy their time here for longer periods — whether that’s dining in the bistro, enjoying a drink, or participating in other club activities.”
The upgraded securely enclosed space includes soft play equipment, comfortable lounge seating for supervising adults, and is positioned to be visible to reduce stress on parents.
“It’s helped us remove a key barrier for parents who may otherwise avoid club settings due to a lack of child-friendly options,” Faint said.
According to Matthew Perry, general manager of MJ Playgrounds, one of the biggest oversights when clubs are installing new play equipment is the location.
“Visibility from the dining area is key for peace of mind for parents. Sound insulation is another often-missed factor; without proper planning, the noise from the play area can overwhelm adjacent spaces,” he said.
“Over the years, there has been a significant shift toward safety, inclusivity and engagement. Today’s playgrounds are designed to cater to a broader age range, include more sensory elements and offer interactive and imaginative play experiences.”
He said clubs are increasingly seeing the value of investing in more thoughtful, engaging environments for younger guests.
“It encourages longer stays, repeat visits, and increased spending on food and beverages, as parents can relax while their children are safely entertained. It also creates opportunities for family events, birthday parties, and school holiday promotions,” Perry said.
Live entertainment, laughter and loyal audiences
While the youngest patrons are taken care of, a variety of live shows have also become central to many clubs’ entertainment strategies.
Comedian Rodeny Marks said clubs make the ideal venue for live performances, particularly comedy.
“Club audiences are part of their community, are experienced at going to shows, and are sophisticated. They’re at comedy shows to laugh and to have a good time, and to forget all their cars and woes,” he said.
Marks added that clubs offer something unique from the stage too.
“Live comedy is so different to large or small screen comedy, and club audiences know they’re not at home in front of the telly. They co-create the show with laughter and positive vibes.”
“The quality and the level of the mini golf we have built will bring people from all over Adelaide.”
Chris Coulter, Flagstaff Hill Golf Club general manager
Marks explained how comedy is also easy to implement from an operational standpoint.
“Comedians are fun for management to deal with. They bring people to the club, they bring fun to club audiences, and they – usually – have simple staging requirements,” he said.
“If a club looking to start running comedy nights or booking comedians for the first time, find a small group of comedians to be regulars, and they can attract a larger group of comedians to appear as one-offs. Find comedians who fit your demographic and tastes.”
Bring bowling into the mix
For clubs looking to expand their entertainment offerings further, tenpin bowling is emerging as an untapped potential, especially as a drawcard for all ages.
“Tenpin bowling is a well-known, long-loved activity that appeals across generations. It’s simple to learn, engaging to play, and offers a rare mix of social interaction, light competition, and fun,” QubicaAMF general manager Adam Vance said.
“Whether it’s groups of mates on a night out or local community members looking for casual entertainment, everyone can play, and that’s exactly what makes tenpin bowling such a powerful addition to a club’s entertainment strategy.”
“More importantly, tenpin bowling brings people back. It’s a repeatable, shareable experience that fits perfectly with food and beverage service and can run day or night, rain or shine. For clubs, it becomes a driver of dwell time, revenue per head and brand differentiation.”
And while full-scale bowling alleys may seem out of reach for many venues, compact and smart designs can make it a viable option.
“At QubicaAMF, we specialise in compact, smart installations, from four-lane mini setups to six-lane competition-sized attractions,” Vance said.
“Many clubs have underperforming or unused areas, an old storeroom, disused function room or back-of-house space, that could be reimagined into a thriving tenpin bowling entertainment zone.”
Virtual fun, but real revenue
Flagstaff Hill Golf Club in South Australia has also been rethinking entertainment. The club recently installed two Trackman golf simulators in its casual dining and lounge area.
“Virtual golf is really taking off,” general manager Chris Coulter said.
“For a golf club to have it as part of their main offering in the members lounge, it’s great. It’s got kids’ games as well — there’s one where you hit the ball into the screen and it explodes like a bomb. It’s all very interactive and kids love it.”
The technology has proved to be a versatile asset, particularly when weather affects outdoor play.
“We had a junior clinic the other day that was rained out, so they came in and switched on the simulators,” Coulter said.
The club has also added a high-quality mini golf course, designed to attract families and out-of-area visitors.
“It’s really aimed at not just the local market but the quality and the level of the mini golf we have built will bring people from all over Adelaide to Flagstaff Hill to play mini golf, and hopefully they stay on and enjoy our dining experiences,” Coulter said.
Game on with interactive crowd-pullers
Classic formats like trivia and sports tipping are also evolving to meet the expectations.
“Trivia nights have come a long way from ‘Bob’ in the corner of the bar, recycling questions from the newspaper with a clipboard, a microphone, and a playlist of questionable ‘80s tunes,” said Corey Scholes, business manager at Entain Venues.
He said InnQUIZitive and QuizzaMe have modernised the format into a fully interactive entertainment experience.
“Take QuizzaMe … players use wireless buzzers, every question is multiple choice, and a trained Quiz Master hosts the night. It’s fully audio-visual, with no pens, no paper, and the software scores the game automatically,” Scholes said.
Meanwhile, InnQUIZitive gives the traditional team trivia format a modern spin.
“Questions are presented in a fully produced multimedia slideshow packed with audio and visuals. Teams answer using full-colour printed booklets instead of loose bits of paper, giving the night a polished, professional feel.”
“By providing a safe, engaging space for children, parents are able to relax and enjoy their time here for longer periods.”
Rhys Faint, Victoria Point Sharks Sporting Club general manager
Sports tipping has also moved beyond clipboards.
“More than just a tipping competition, SportsPick delivers year-round entertainment through sports and racing tipping comps with lucrative prize pools, live leaderboards and tipping mechanics that keep members coming back week after week,” said Courtney Thompson, head of sports and partnership at Entain Venues.
Scholes pointed out that trivia works best when it’s tied into a broader club experience.
“What works best is when clubs use trivia as a tool to build routine. The goal isn’t just to fill a room once. It’s to create an atmosphere and experience that keeps people coming back week after week,” he said.
“We’ve seen great results when venues pair trivia with food and drink specials. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Something as simple as $20 burgers or a $25 pot and parmi can be enough to turn a casual player into a regular.”
Thompson agreed that tipping works best when it’s part of a bigger in-venue experience.
“Pair them with food and drink specials and you’ve got a smart way to boost spend and give patrons a reason to stick around,” he advised.
“We’ve seen venues do well by linking a meal deal to the first game of the round — think specials for Friday night footy. Tippers are already coming in to get their picks in, so why not give them a reason to stay on?”