One of the best parts about fall is that it’s football season once again! Attending a game at your home stadium is always a blast, but watching it from home can be just as much fun. Hosting a football watch party with your friends and family is a great way to spend time together. I have some great tips on how to host the perfect football watch part without all the stress.
The key to being a great host for any kind of event is preparation. Give yourself (and your guests) enough time in advance to get everything together you will need for your party. Send out your party invites at least a few weeks in advance. The more time you can give, the better. I like to set up a calendar invite via Facebook or Google/iCalendar to make is easy for folks to find all the important details for the party.
Food and Drinks for a Crowd
If you’re planning a potluck, let folks know in advance too so they can commit to bringing a dish. You can also assign folks a category to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered food-wise. I recommend sticking to a theme for your snacks and food whether you’re providing everything or doing it potluck style.
A taco/nacho bar is always a crowd pleaser and can easily accommodate dietary restrictions without breaking the bank. Pizza and subs are also an easy option, just be considerate of any guests who may need to avoid dairy, gluten, or other ingredients. Snack trays are also a great option for grazing at a football watch party. Ask your guests to bring different types for everyone to get a sampling of everything. Someone does meat and cheese, someone does a dessert tray, someone brings fruit, veggies etc.
It’s always nice to offer a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options for a party, but don’t go overboard. Consider how much space you have in your cooler or fridge to keep everything cold and how many guests you expect to RSVP. Ask guests to BYOB if you’re planning a larger gathering and you’ll have even more variety for everyone to share.
Setting Up Your Party Space
If you’re planning to host a small group of friends, watching the game in your living room with a couple extra chairs set up will likely suffice. For bigger gatherings or a “tailgate” party, consider something outdoors (weather permitting) with a projector screen or big TV set up on your driveway or lawn.
You can always ask your friends to bring a lawn chair if you don’t have enough to accommodate everyone. Once you have an idea of your set up, try standing or sitting in different areas of the space to ensure everyone has a good view of the game no matter where they are sitting.
Friendly Competition
Not everyone who attends a football watch party is actually interested in watching the game. I’ve always found that introducing some friendly competition to a party is a great way to make everyone feel included even if they aren’t fans of the game. Football Squares is the go-to activity for a football watch party that doesn’t require any skill. It’s based on luck and guessing the winning numbers based on the score of the game. Typically, players will pay a set amount per square (usually $1) and a winner will be drawn at the end of each quarter for a percentage of the pot. How you split up the winnings is up to you.
Consider the Littles, Too
Be sure to consider how many kids will be attending your party and their ages. Set up a safe space for them to play so they’re not in the way of your other guests and they can enjoy the party as well. For an indoor party, you can set up some simple table activities and kid-friendly snacks: building toys, PlayDoh, friendship bracelets, board/card games, coloring, sensory bins, etc.
If you’re planning an outdoor party, ensure you have enough adults to “sittervise” the kids and ensure everyone is playing safely. Toys and activities they can help themselves to is always nice to have on hand: sidewalk chalk, bubbles, balls, frisbee, corn hole. If you have the time, a scavenger hunt is a fun option to keep the kids occupied for a while, too.
Whatever team you’re rooting for, never let the outcome of the game ruin your fun. Happy hosting and Go Sports!
