The SBCK and Eventfrog join forces for a lively nightlife

Bar and club operators can be happy: the Swiss Bar and Club Commission (SBCK for short) and Eventfrog are entering into a new partnership to collaboratively support and promote nightlife businesses even better. The aim of the partnership is to incorporate the needs of the bar and club scene more strongly into the further development of Eventfrog. Members of the SBCK benefit twice over: in addition to being able to place their concerns directly with Eventfrog, they also benefit from special discounts made possible by the partnership.

We interviewed Alex, Managing Director of the SBCK, and Max, Vice President of the SBCK, about common goals, benefits for SBCK members and more.

What does the SBCK actually do and how long have you been active?

The SBCK is the umbrella organisation for regional associations of nightlife businesses, such as bars and clubs. Together with its partners, the SBCK is committed to creating attractive framework conditions for our industry at a national level. The SBCK was founded in 2013 and is a specialist group of Gastro Suisse. We see ourselves as a link between nightlife businesses and the authorities, politicians and the public, and want to promote the reputation of the industry.

What topics are you currently working on?

At the moment, we are mainly focussing on coronavirus. In the last two years, we have, of necessity, learnt more about epidemics, viruses and variants than we would have liked.

In addition, we are mainly concerned with the increasingly dense cities and the different views on how we should organise coexistence.

Another important task is to support the regional associations when it comes to dealing with conflicts in the neighbourhood or the administration or even developing night visions, the planning of new districts.

What does the SBCK hope to gain from the partnership with Eventfrog?

Eventfrog has a strong presence in nightlife in particular. We now want to take a slice of this fame (laughs). No, of course, just like in politics, it's about creating bridges and, of course, public relations work. For example, how are guests who would like to support innovative nightlife projects supposed to do so if they don't know that the Swiss Night Culture Fund exists and how and where they can donate? We are of course hoping for many night owls who show solidarity and are willing to support the culture of the night with a small donation. We will also use Eventfrog for SBCK events.

You have been tirelessly fighting for bars and clubs during the coronavirus pandemic for around two years now. Where do you get the energy and motivation to keep doing this?

We are not alone - in addition to us, there are many dedicated people in the background, without whom this commitment would certainly not be possible and we owe them a big thank you! The situation is not only a challenge for the association, the pandemic is also a milestone for the SBCK. It is no longer necessary to explain to any member why an association is needed. The situation has accelerated the formation of a network with decision-makers from politics and the authorities, and we have even managed to implement new, innovative approaches such as the Swiss Night Culture Fund.

On a personal level, of course, it helps to see the milestones, but much more important is the gratitude for our work.

What impact has the pandemic had on bars and clubs - especially in the area of ticketing?

We can imagine that ticketing will also become more important in the party sector. At least there have been more parties with advance ticket sales in the last two years. However, it could also be that after two years of QR codes and a jungle of measures, the public has had enough and will decide more spontaneously - only time will tell.

What do the SBCK and Eventfrog have in common?

We are both committed to a varied nightlife and want to make life easier for bar and club operators. The SBCK also works at a political level to ensure that the framework conditions for bars and clubs are optimised. We ourselves want to offer bars and clubs the opportunity to sell as many tickets as possible for their events and minimise their administrative work on site. And we want to do this as simply and cheaply as possible - or even free of charge with the free model. Our common goal was also the main reason why we contacted the SBCK.

What will change for SBCK members?

Firstly, the SBCK, its local networks and the individual members benefit from special conditions in the areas of ad-free ticketing and marketing offers. Secondly, they have direct access to Eventfrog and can express their concerns and needs. These are then channelled directly into the further development of the platform - over time, members receive more and more functions that help them to sell tickets as successfully as possible.

Will anything change for guests at the bars and clubs?

Guests will benefit from the fact that they can buy their ticket online at home free of charge, giving them the certainty that they will be able to attend the event. At the same time, admission to the venue can be handled quickly and easily - long queues to collect tickets are a thing of the past.

What does Eventfrog hope to gain from the partnership with the SBCK?

Many bars and clubs have been relying on Eventfrog for some time now. With this new collaboration, however, we are now moving even closer together and developing the platform further as partners. We are convinced that direct feedback will enable us to make even better decisions in the future about which functions should be implemented next. Ultimately, all event organisers and guests will benefit from this partnership.