The beer is stocked, you’ve got plenty of wings ready for the deep fryers, and your house-made queso is virtually legendary in the New York area. But are the audio video systems in your NY sports bar ready for the crowd?

With less than a week to the 2026 Super Bowl, you’re probably not worried about what Bad Bunny is wearing. (He can do what he wants. And you know millions will tune in to see it.)

But you might be concerned that a screen will die in the middle of the big game or you’ll blow a speaker in the corner of your sports bar during the halftime show. You can give your restaurant or sports bar a quick run-through of all the AV systems, troubleshoot any problems, and call an AV integrator you trust if you run into any last-minute glitches.

At this point, you’re not looking to upgrade aging systems or add a giant video wall. You just want to make sure everything works. (Feel like you need an AV upgrade after the big game? Dara AV is here for it.)

Here’s your Super Bowl checklist for sports bar AV systems.

Video Systems: The Star of the Show

People visit your sports bar on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the game, enjoy beer and snacks with friends, and relax in ways they can’t at home if they’re hosting a party. The Super Bowl puts more pressure on your video systems than perhaps any other event; you want everything to be operating properly.

One of our clients once told us, “I don’t want my customers to have to turn their head to view any game they want to see.” On Super Bowl Sunday, that’s easy, since there’s only one game anybody wants to see.

But that means that every seat around your bar and in your restaurant should have an optimal viewing angle of the game. This means the screens should be the right size for the viewing distance. It’s okay if they are looking from across the bar at a 10-foot diagonal projection screen, but they shouldn’t be squinting to see a 46-inch monitor from across the room. Close-up viewing requires smaller screens to see the whole picture. Some restaurant owners even mount 32- or 36-inch screens inside VIP booths.

But at this point, you don’t want to toss up a few extra screens without a master plan video design. Stroll around your restaurant or bar this Friday or Saturday, when the booths are full, and see if anyone is having trouble seeing. Can you see a screen from virtually everywhere in your sports bar? If not, make some notes for post-Super Bowl upgrade.

For now, look for these key details:

• Are any screens broken or not functioning or not showing the crystal-clear picture they should have?
• Is text showing up on screens where it shouldn’t be, such as menu commands?
• Are projectors bright enough?

You should be able to manage most of these problems yourself, but you might need last-minute AV service in NY. That’s why we’re here and, honestly, that’s why Dara AV does what we do. We want to be sure that New York Tri-State area customers get the best experience and that hospitality owners can deliver it.

There are a few more things you’ll want to look at when you do your walk-through:

• Are the screens clean? You don’t want to see fingerprints on screens – which can happen if they are hung at eye level where kids can touch them. (We get it - we used to have littles, too!)
• If you have digital signage or video menu boards, are they displaying the right messages at the right time?
• Are wires visible?

Hanging wires scream “sloppy audio video installation,” and while people aren’t likely to notice during the height of Super Bowl excitement, it’s something to think about after the game.

A little wire management can go a long way. You do want to make sure there are no wires hanging where someone can pull on them and knock out service to that screen. A dead screen (and angry customers) is the last thing you want on Super Bowl Sunday.

Audio System Check Up

Your audio systems may not take center stage when everyone is focused on the football game, but there’s an important component in your bar’s technology systems. And, during the half-time show, stellar sound is necessary to engage the crowd. Sound is just one element where people expect better than (or at least equal to) what they can get at home. That’s why your audio systems run a very close second to the video when it comes to your Super Bowl Sunday celebration. Just as you ran your own visual test of the video systems, you’ll want to assess your audio.

First, take a look in the control room or equipment rack and check your amplifiers. Digital amps typically provide an LED read-out if the amplifier is blown or running too hot. That’s when it’s time to call an AV service professional.

If everything looks good, it’s time for the sound test.

If you have a few minutes on a busy night stroll around the venue. Can you hear well from nearly any space in the house?

Are all the speakers, subs, and amps working so there are no dead spots?

A dead speaker could be something as simple as a loose wire, or you might have a blown amplifier. If you’re not sure, your audio visual systems specialist should be available to help you troubleshoot. After the game, we may recommend JBL self-powered speakers for a simple system that delivers excellent sound coverage in a streamlined, budget-friendly package.

Are the speaker volumes set at the right level to prevent distortion? This is self-explanatory. There’s nothing worse than feedback, echoes or distortion

Can people order drinks at the bar without having to scream?

If you’ve brought in a DJ or Emcee for the big event, is that system working properly?

If you have a Crestron portable touch pad or iPad control of your audio video systems, walk around with the controller so you can adjust sound levels manually. If intelligibility is really bad in any particular area, you could have blown speakers or the EQ could be off. If adjusting the volume doesn’t help, call a professional audio integrator for service. It could be an easy fix.

If you have a Crestron system, does your staff know how to turn specific zones of audio on and off, or change the volume, as needed? You may want to give your staff a quick review on Sunday afternoon before the crowds start pouring in.

It's All in the Details

Taking care of these fine details can help prevent an audio video catastrophe during the big game Sunday evening. It’s also a good time to think about audio video upgrades you may want to make for next year’s game, or to prepare for the upcoming sports seasons.

As you take a look at the systems in your sports bar or restaurant, consider if you have any aging gear that might need replacement, screens that are due for an upgrade, or a control system that offers zoned audio and iPad control to make it easier for your staff to give your customers the experience they want – and expect – in today’s sports bars.