How to Enjoy the Super Bowl when You're Not a Football Fan

Enjoying the Food and Friends

Head to a party for the full Super Bowl experience. Just because you don’t like football doesn’t mean you should keep yourself from the festivities! If your friends or family are throwing a Super Bowl party, you can just go and talk to the other guests and eat some great snacks. If you don’t know anyone throwing a party, host one yourself! Invite a few friends, and ask each person to bring some easy-to-share food for a low-key party.

Bring food to the party. Easy finger foods like chips and dip or cookies are the best dishes to take along to a Super Bowl party. You could even take the ingredients to the party and make your dish there. That will diminish the time you have to spend in front of the TV. Some great snack options include: Guacamole and a bag of tortilla chips. A veggie platter with carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and dip. Hummus with baked pita chips. Football-shaped sugar cookies or cupcakes.

Spend lots of time in front of the food spread. If you’re not interested in the game, don’t force yourself to crowd around the TV with the diehards--unless you’re eager to learn! There will be plenty of people you can talk to in the back by the food and drinks. If there’s no one else near you for a second, you can still look occupied by simply eating what’s on your plate, or turning around for more food.

Talk to other people who aren’t into football. There will probably be other people at the party who don't care about the game either, whether they’re not interested in the sport or simply aren’t fans of the teams playing. They’re likely to hang out near the back or around the food. You can chat with them about the game, the food, the commercials or anything that’s going on in their life! For example, you can say something general like, “This game is crazy so far.” Depending on their answer, you’ll be able to tell if they’re not a big football fan or just don’t care about the teams. If you know they’re not into football, make casual conversation about whatever you want. You could say something simple like, “How was your week?” or mention something about the party, like “These quesadillas are so good. Have you tried them?”

Sit at the end of the couch to make a quick getaway. Try to pick a seat near the edge of the viewing area. This will make it easier to escape if you get bored. If you sit near the middle of the gathering, you might get caught up in conversation or feel stuck between others who are talking to each other through you. If you do end up sitting in a good viewing spot, try to pay attention to the game. It could annoy other guests if you have a prime seat for watching the game but you’re on your phone the whole time!

Entertaining Yourself with Commercials and Games

Play "Pick a Player" to have someone to root for in the game. Write the names of the key players on both teams on small slips of paper, one player per slip. Mix them around in a bowl. Ask everyone to contribute a dollar (or more) to play, and pass the bowl around, asking each person to pick one slip of paper. The person who draws the MVP of the game (announced during the post-game celebration) wins the pot! Look up the key players online before the game, or ask a friend who is familiar with the teams. It’s best to draw names before the game starts, but since your guests are picking at random, it’s okay to get a late start, too.

Have a game of "Pass the Cup" to get invested in each play. Ask one guest to start by putting a dollar (or any amount you want) into an empty cup and calling out a football play, such as “field goal.” If the very next play is not a field goal, they pass the cup to the next person, who contributes the same amount of money and again passes it on if a field goal isn’t attempted on the next play. The person holding the cup when the named play actually occurs gets the money! The winner of that round gets to start the game again by choosing the next play, such as “touchdown,” “interception,” or “first down,” and putting in the first dollar. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with many football terms. Everyone else will be watching the game closely and will definitely let you know when the named play happens! If you don’t want to play with money, you can use candy, chips, or cookies.

Watch the commercial breaks for funny advertisements. For a lot of people Super Bowl ads are the best part of the day. If you just can’t get into the game, relax and chat with other guests until the commercials come on. There are lots of time outs and breaks during football games, so you’ll never have to wait long.

Play Super Bowl ad bingo to make commercials even more interesting. Look online for a “Super Bowl ad bingo” card and print out one for each of the guests before the game. When a commercial comes on, watch closely and mark off any square that names the type of commercial that's played. Get a small prize, like a cupcake, or have each guest contribute a dollar for the winner. You can also make your own bingo boards. Watch some Super Bowl ads from the last few years to get an idea of some popular themes. For example, there could be squares for “puppies,” “car crashes,” or “a character crying.” Make sure that the squares are arranged differently on each board so that everyone doesn’t hit bingo at the same time!

Enjoy the halftime show for mid-game entertainment. The Super Bowl halftime show is a huge performance, usually starring pop and rock stars that everyone has heard of and can enjoy. Grab a snack as the first half winds down and get a good seat around the TV. Other guests often use this time for a bathroom break, so there should be plenty of room for you! Keep watching in case guest stars pay a surprise visit on stage (which sometimes happens!)

Tune in for the Puppy Bowl before the game. If you’re looking for something to do before the game, and if your host can get Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, TruTV, or TBS, take a look at the Puppy Bowl. It features adorable puppies rolling around on a mini football field, as well as a “kitty halftime show” and a human “referee” to maintain a little order. The show is cute and funny, and a great way to perk up your mood before the game.

Learning about Football

Look up basic football rules if you’re unfamiliar with the game. If you don’t know the rules of football but want to follow some of what’s going on, look up a few basic points online. You won’t be an expert right away, but at least you’ll be able to understand some of the plays. This can also keep you entertained and focused on the game. Challenge yourself to understand the major rules before the game's over. For example, you’ll want to know that the most important player on a team is the quarterback, who throws passes down the field or hands the ball off to the running back. The aim of the game is to get the ball into the endzone to score a touchdown, earning 6 points. A team can also kick the ball between two upright posts, scoring a field goal and getting three points.

Ask a good friend questions about the game. If you don’t mind owning up to the fact that you don’t know much about football, you can just ask a friend or another guest to explain a few key points to you. Ask someone who’s not too invested in the game and who won’t mind taking their eyes off the screen for a few minutes to explain different points to you. Don’t be nervous or embarrassed to ask questions. Your friend will probably be happy to share their knowledge and help you get enthusiastic about the game.

Watch how other people react, and copy them to blend in. If you don’t want to learn the complicated rules but would rather not stick out at a party full of football fans, just pick a team to cheer for. Look around the party to see who’s supporting that team, and copy their reactions to different plays. Avoid cheering too hard, or people might ask you questions about the game that you won’t know how to answer. Keep your reactions relaxed and slightly indifferent, like you’re just a casual fan. For example, if your team scores a touchdown, just smile and clap, but don't pretend more enthusiasm than you really feel. If someone does ask you why you’re pulling for a certain team, just say, “I don’t care much either way, but I just wanted to cheer for someone.”

Know a few key players from each team (and their jersey numbers). Listen to the announcers, and notice the players they talk about the most. They'll be the players on the screen most, too. You can also use your phone or computer to quickly look up the most important players on either team. You can focus on these players when they’re on the field, giving you something to concentrate on when the rest of the field gets confusing. You can also mention these players in conversation to show your working knowledge of the game. Keep your comments vague, like “Johnson is all over the field today,” or “No one can catch Simmons!” The key offensive players will probably be the quarterbacks from both teams, the running backs, and a wide receiver or tight end. From the defensive side, key players are often linebackers, cornerbacks, or safeties.