Few things are more exciting and festive for sports fans than gathering with close friends to cheer on a favorite team. Although a large part of the fun involves watching the game, food and other festivities often round out the day – especially when fans gather in the comforts of private homes rather than big stadiums.
Having good food nearby is essential when hosting sports fans for a big game, and there are many additional ways to make gameday that much more fun and memorable.
Establish the atmosphere
Make the party area more festive by incorporating team colors. Feature these colors on serving bowls, plates, pennants, balloons, and more. Remember to ask guests to wear the apparel of their favorite teams, hang photos of key players and keep a ball on hand so guests can toss or kick it around between plays.
Choose fan-favorite foods
Game day menu options can include anything from finger foods to more elaborate appetizers to main courses. Games can take several hours from start to finish, so make sure you have enough food to cover the duration of the event. Consider favorites like chicken wings, sliders, mozzarella sticks, and deli sandwiches. Use a slow cooker to prepare chili or stew. A slow cooker also can be used to cook ribs or hot dogs in bulk. It’s also a handy tool to prepare pork loin for pulled pork sandwiches.
Don’t forget desserts
Desserts are an item you can delegate to guests. If you want to prepare your own desserts, small and portable items are easier to manage and cut down on the mess while fans are cheering. In addition to the requisite potato chips and pretzels, cookies, brownies/blondies, cupcakes, and fruit tarts are all small desserts to consider adding to the menu. Many items can be purchased ready-made if you want to avoid spending hours baking.
Create a viewing location
Guests will want an unobscured view of the game, and this may require moving around some furniture. The television should be located high enough so that all guests have a clear view. Think about moving a sofa to the perimeter of the room and bringing in folding chairs, which will allow a greater number of guests to sit. Tune several televisions to the same channel so guests moving around for food or to use the restroom won’t miss any big plays.
Game day beverages
Beer and soft drinks are staples of sports-related entertaining and may be all you need to have on hand. You can create a game-themed cocktail for guests who are not fans of beer. In addition, have water and other nonalcoholic options at the ready.
An easy way to ensure drinks are cold is to plug the kitchen sink and fill it with water and ice. Place beverages inside and keep cups nearby. This eliminates the need to drag a cooler inside. When the party ends, simply pull the plug and let the water drain out.
Gameday entertaining is very popular. Sports fans can’t wait to gather, root for their teams and socialize with friends.
