How to Guide: Watching the Game with Girls Who Don’t Follow Sports

This past Super Bowl I had the pleasure of watching the game with my friend Konky who happened to be in New York City from Dallas visiting his sister. Maximizing the time I got to spend with my close friend from college meant that I also ended up watching the game with 5 girls who were, at best, casual football fans. Not going to lie, for a guy who loves sports and views the Super Bowl like a holiday, this was not the ideal situation. But the night turned out quite enjoyable, and from it, I created 7 rules to follow on how to watch a game with girls who don’t follow sports.

1. Do not expect the girls to share your excitement about the game. This means throughout the night, other topics will be discussed and may interrupt the game. Food and commercials were the top priorities that night, not the game. Be open-minded and remember that you can always rewind on the DVR. This leads me straight into my second rule…

2. Make sure you record the game as a backup. This way you can be relaxed that you won’t miss any key plays or highlights. Ideally, you record the game on the TV you are currently watching. Nothing is more annoying than a guy telling other people at a sports viewing party to shut up. If you’re that guy, my advice is to go get your own room and your own TV -- let the rest of the world enjoy sports the way they want to.

3. Be knowledgeable of the game. If you are going to be the main source of sports knowledge, make sure you can explain the game and rules in a clear and concise manner. Also, be sure not to push your information on girls who did not ask for it in the first place. No one likes a know-it-all. There are many tricky rules, and if you do not know them all, don’t be afraid to admit it and look it up quickly on your smart phone. This Super Bowl, we saw a safety caused by an intentional grounding penalty, which rarely happens and led to many people in the room being confused and asking for an explanation. This is a perfect example of when you can step in and share your knowledge.

4. Know what topics the girls actually care about. It goes a long way if you know other topics outside of sports to engage with the group you are with. Be willing to talk about pop culture, and in the case of the Super Bowl, what commercials you have been enjoying. And as much as you feel out of your element during the halftime show, don’t be afraid to ask questions too. Personally, I learned a lot about M.I.A. and other performers that night. We also discussed which athlete was dating whom, which surprisingly is actually common knowledge between many women and the average sports fan.

5. Do not forget your manners. During a sporting event where women outnumber men, there is a good chance that the food is planned and provided by the women there (purely by percentages, not trying to be sexist). This was the case for my past Super Bowl, and although most of the food was ordered and the cost was shared, be sure to do your part and bring a six-pack or snack. Also, be sure to ask if someone would like a drink when getting your own. Clean up after yourself; you are in the presence of females. Lastly, be thankful for the food, and give plenty of compliments when something tastes amazing, like the homemade macarons I had. Delicious!

6. Be prepared to answer questions about good-looking athletes. The fact of the matter is that a good amount of girls will be more fascinated by how good-looking Tom Brady is than how many completions he had that game. I would say there is a high percentage chance that this topic will take place during the game. Have fun with it because clearly this means nothing, and no need to say "no homo" before every sentence either. During this past Super Bowl, I was shocked to hear a girl call Kevin Garnett attractive, and I still don’t see how Derrick Rose received a unanimous vote of attractiveness while CP3 got the unanimous thumbs-down by the women in the room. Don’t be afraid to help figure out who the hot guy was from a Super Bowl two years ago. Turns out this time the mystery man was Austin Collie. Always remember the faster they figure out the name, the faster you can get back to watching your precious game.

Austin Collie

7. Enjoy the company and have fun. I agree that many times guys do take sports too seriously. Although I might not be screaming in anger when my team loses, I do get pretty quiet and down. But as hard as it is for us guys, let’s try not to let the game affect our mood at the party. There is plenty of time to sulk in the privacy of your own room later that night. So have fun and enjoy sports the way it was designed -- to bring people of all ages and genders into a room to cheer, eat, and be merry!

Overall, I had a great time watching the game with a room full of girls, but I think my boy Konky was glad I decided to come. Remember, your sports-watching venue might not always be ideal, but your attitude and expectations can always improve a situation, and maybe you just might end up realizing that sports doesn’t have to be serious all the time!

Women out there, if you disagree or have things to add, please feel free to leave a comment!

Photos and video courtesy of Printer Ink Cartridges Blog, Palm Beach Post and Davidle Bovitz.