Hong Kong Teahouse Finds Unexpected Success Screening World Cup Matches

At a century-old teahouse in Hong Kong, a crowd of about 30 people huddled around tables packed with dim sum on a Thursday morning as they watched South Africa score against South Korea in the World Cup. Lin Heung Lau’s branch in Sheung Wan has become one of the city’s most unlikely venues for catching football after it opted to capitalise on the World Cup, with its design and marketing director saying the establishment had reaped several benefits. The business spent more than HK$200,000 (US$25,500) on installing an LED screen at the branch and signed a year-long broadcast contract worth HK$100,000 per venue to allow both the shop and its sister location in Tsim Sha Tsui to screen live matches. The decision to buy the LED screen was not originally made with the World Cup in mind. Instead, Lin Heung Lau had planned to use the screen for corporate functions and banquets, but the international football competition arrived at the right moment, said Wong Chi-yin, the restaurant’s design and marketing director. “We open at 6am, and many matches fall in the morning, so we thought it was a good fit for people watching football over morning tea,” he said.