The World Cup’s Revelation: America’s Undiscovered Heart
As the World Cup descended upon the United States this summer, international visitors found themselves captivated by an unexpected discovery: the warmth and hospitality of Middle America. German tourist Maximilian Kirch, donning a cowboy hat in Dallas, yearned for more of the authentic American experience, while a Swiss fan on Reddit marveled at the friendliness of locals. This newfound appreciation for the nation’s heartland, however, isn’t news to everyone.
Irish Visionaries Saw It First
For Will Meara, co-founder of the live entertainment company Locomotive, this revelation is two-and-a-half years in the making. Like the now-defunct ‘Freddy LA’ Twitter account that chronicled a German’s genuine delight in ‘real America,’ Meara too was surprised by what he found beyond the familiar metropolises of New York and Los Angeles. “I could find myself in North Dakota, for example; I was there a couple of weeks back, or rural Virginia. And it’s really getting to see the heartland of America and how great the people are and how friendly they are,” Meara shared.
Meara, alongside fellow Irish co-founders Craig Reynolds and Stephen Lawless, established Locomotive’s North American hub in Denver. Reynolds embarked on a journey few major entertainment promoters deemed worthwhile: traversing the towns of Frisco, McKinney, Plano, and immersing himself in college football culture at LSU and Ole Miss. This deep dive into the fabric of American life—tailgating, storytelling, and genuine connection—formed the bedrock of their quietly colossal $24 million global business.
Bingo Loco: A Phenomenon Born from Connection
Locomotive’s flagship product, Bingo Loco, is far more than its unassuming name suggests. Imagine a raucous, two-and-a-half-hour spectacle where attendees gather at communal tables, Hogwarts-style, for a high-energy bingo game. A live MC electrifies the crowd, a DJ spins ’90s and early 2000s anthems, and spontaneous lip-sync battles, air guitar competitions, and comedy bits unfold on stage, with prizes ranging from exotic holidays to air fryers. It’s a traveling participatory variety show, designed, as Reynolds approvingly puts it, to be the “lowest-IQ game possible,” yet delivering an undeniably high-octane experience.
From a Dublin Basement to a Global Stage
The journey began modestly in 2017, when Reynolds, Meara, and Lawless convinced 100 friends to brave a rainy Thursday night in a Dublin basement. After experimenting with concepts like yoga disco and hot tubs in nightclubs (which Meara humorously notes were “not great for insurance”), bingo clicked. Fast forward nine-and-a-half years, and Bingo Loco now orchestrates 2,000 shows annually across 15 countries and 300 cities, selling over a million tickets. This impressive feat, generating $24 million in ticket sales and roughly $8 million in profit, was achieved without a single dollar of outside investment, fueled by a profound understanding of human desire.
The Dual Insights: Monoculture and the Loneliness Epidemic
The success of Bingo Loco rests on two pivotal insights, one obvious in hindsight, the other more profound.
The Power of Shared Nostalgia
The first insight acknowledges millennials (roughly 30-45 today) as the last generation with a truly shared musical memory. Before the internet fragmented culture, there was a universal understanding of anthems like “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” Bingo Loco masterfully leverages this “monoculture,” creating an instant bond among attendees. “Millennials are walking into a room with ’90s, 2000s nostalgia — and it’s like, oh, we all know this one,” Reynolds explains.
Bridging the Disconnection Gap
The second, more valuable insight, is that millennials aren’t just nostalgic; they’re lonely. Having grown up before smartphones, they possess a tangible memory of genuine, present human connection. Yet, they now navigate a hyper-connected world that paradoxically fosters deep disconnection. Reynolds and Meara intuitively grasped this long before the “loneliness epidemic” became a public health concern. “In today’s post-AI world, people are seeking connectivity more than ever,” Reynolds asserts. “As someone who’s operated in live events since university, I’ve never seen such appetite for it.”
This understanding of an underserved demographic, hungry for shared experiences and authentic connection, is the true genius behind Bingo Loco’s global triumph. While the World Cup offers a fleeting glimpse into America’s generous spirit, these Irish entrepreneurs built an empire on knowing it all along.
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