Joe Cole and Samsung will upgrade your local's TV ahead of a huge summer of football

If you’ve ever tried to watch a big match in London, you’ll know the gamble. You either land a proper spot with a decent screen and a bit of atmosphere, or you end up craning your neck at a flickering TV wedged above the bar while someone orders ten espresso martinis directly in front of it.

This summer, there’s a push to sort that out. Joe Cole has teamed up with Samsung to launch “Raise The Bar”, a campaign aimed at upgrading pub TVs across the UK ahead of a packed few months of football. And in a city like London, where finding a good matchday pub can feel like a competitive sport in itself, it could actually make a difference.

The premise is simple. Fans nominate their local, a shortlist is drawn up, and a select group of pubs will receive brand new TV setups in time for the summer fixtures.

Ten venues will get a TV worth up to £3,000 along with marketing support, while one overall winner lands a full tech and venue makeover worth more than £10,000. Not bad for a place that might currently be running games on something that looks like it survived the analogue switch-off.

It is not just about appearances either. In London, where rent, staffing and general running costs are already sky high, those big tournament days can be a lifeline. The issue is that many venues simply can't afford to upgrade, with the average pub going around six years between new screens.

That disconnect is becoming more obvious. According to Samsung, around 40% of Brits still watch major tournaments in the pub, and a huge majority say it adds to the sense of community. At the same time, almost everyone admits they would consider leaving if the viewing experience is poor. In a city packed with options, that means punters will just walk five minutes down the road to somewhere better.

Cole is pitching the campaign as a way to protect that classic pub experience. Watching football at home is easy, but it is not the same as being in a packed room when a goal goes in. London does that better than most places when the setup is right.

Voting is open now until 20 May, with a shortlist of eleven pubs revealed at the end of April. After that, it is up to the public to decide which venue gets the full upgrade. So if your local is still rocking a tired old screen, now might be the time to give it a fighting chance before the summer crowds roll in, and you can nominate your local here.

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