How Does Jon Taffer Make His Money

When it comes to reality programming, people don't often think of Spike's, and later Paramount Network's, Bar Rescue. Despite this, the show has been going strong for seven seasons and over 200 episodes.

The show began airing on Spike on July 17, 2011 and completed its seventh season on June 7, 2020. Yet despite the ever-growing roster of bars in need of repair, the story behind Bar Rescue may prove just as interesting as the personalities and stories it presents. There's a lot of good stuff going on behind the scenes.

These are ten behind the scenes facts you should know about Bar Rescue.

10 Jon Taffer Created NFL Sunday Ticket

While Jon Taffer is largely known as the hot-headed host of Bar Rescue, he is also a successful entrepreneur that created the concept of NFL Sunday Ticket. Launched on November 27, 1994, NFL Sunday Ticket served as a way to broadcast out-of-market games to local affiliates.

It was largely aimed at people who were fans of a specific team but couldn't watch their games owing to designated market areas.

9 Taffer Had Thirty Years' Experience

If anyone can help a failing bar, it's Jon Taffer. Taffer had thirty years' experience in the restaurant business before Bar Rescue premiered in 2011. Taffer got his first bartending job in 1973 when he was just nineteen years old. In 1978, he became the manager of a West Hollywood nightclub called The Troubadour. He finally opened his own bar in 1989 at the age of 35.

8 Taffer Is In The Nightclub Hall Of Fame

No, we didn't know the Nightclub Hall of Fame was a thing, either. But yes, it absolutely is. Following years of managerial duties and owning his own bars, Taffer was appointed as president of the Nightclub and Bar Media Group in 2010. It was then that he was inducted into the Nightclub Hall of Fame.

Like we said, there was no better man to lead Bar Rescue. The following year he was hired by the producers of Bar Rescue, and the rest is history.

7 The Series Was Originally Produced By A Dutch Company

Back in the early 2010s, Bar Rescue was created by the Dutch production company Eyeworks.

Eyeworks is based out of Amsterdam and serves as a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television Group. Eyeworks shopped the program around to various networks, and it was eventually picked up by Spike TV in 2011. Spike ordered ten episodes of the show, and it began shooting in April of 2011.

6 Half The Bars Have Failed

Owing to its nature as a "rescue" show, Bar Rescue visits many different bars on the verge of total collapse. Unfortunately, many of these bars are simply too far gone. While Taffer and his crew do all they can to save the bars from collapsing, nearly half had gone under by season six. It is believed that 74 of the first 166 bars featured on the show have since failed and closed their doors, giving Bar Rescue a success rate of just 56%.

5 Bars Sign An Application

Some reality shows in this vein seek out failing establishments. Others require the establishments to come to them. Bar Rescue is of the latter. In order to be considered for the show, bar owners must sign an application form and submit it to the Paramount Network for consideration.

Should they be deemed acceptable for TV, Paramount puts them on the list. Following that, Taffer visits with his team of experts, and an episode of Bar Rescue is created.

4 The Show Was Subjected To A Lawsuit

Jon Taffer and the producers were once sued by Paul Wilkes of Bar 702.

Wilkes states that the producers told him to hit on Jon's wife Nicole, leading to a violent and physical confrontation. Wilkes claims that the confrontation caused him night terrors, migraines, depression, and anxiety attacks. The lawsuit eventually settled in arbitration, and the case was dismissed with prejudice.

3 Some Bars Have Reverted

Even if Taffer successfully converts a bar, human tenacity and stubbornness tend to get in the way. Unfortunately, some bars had reverted to their pre-Bar Rescue selves, resulting in collapse. For example, Swanky Bubbles (among many, many others) reverted to their original name, Piratz Tavern returned to their much-maligned pirate theme, and The Chicken Bone reverted to its old menu.

2 The Rocky Point Was Not Up To Code

One of the places visited by Taffer and his gang was Tempe, Arizona's The Rocky Point Cantina. Unfortunately, this bar was closed following a re-painting. The bar's decision-makers had decided to re-paint the interior, which in turn triggered a code inspection.

This inspection uncovered years' worth of unacknowledged and non-permitted building renovations. Rather than bringing the building up to code, the owners decided to close.

1 One Bar Was The Site Of A Murder

In 2013, Taffer and his team filmed at a bar in Nashville, Tennessee, which was eventually renamed Pit & Barrel. The bar was owned by one Chris Ferrell. However, on the night before the respective episode was going to air, Ferrell shot and killed country singer Wayne Mills inside the Pit & Barrel - an act Ferrell claims was in self-defense. He was found guilty of second-degree murder and was sentenced to twenty years.

NEXT: We're Here: 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The HBO Tie-In To RuPaul's Drag Race

Next 10 Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Storylines That Never Got Resolved

About The Author

Nathan Sharp (776 Articles Published)

Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto, Ontario. He has a love of movies and television, having enjoyed them for more than twenty years. His preferences include drama, action, and horror, with the former being a particular point of interest and fascination. He also has a love of video games, particularly those of Rockstar. Whether it be about film, television, or video games, Nathan loves a good discussion and has written hundreds of articles for Screen Rant.