Sports have many passionate fans, but these games aren’t for everyone. Some people are not into sports and are merely dragged into watching games because their significant other, family members, or friends enjoy watching them.
These are some of the instances where you can’t say no and have to say yes simply because they love it and you don’t want to disappoint them. In short, you have no choice but to watch the game. Don’t worry though, we’ll give you some tips on how to enjoy games even if you’re not into sports. Read on.
Watch It at the Venue
There’s no better place to watch a game than to watch it live at the venue. There’s the communal atmosphere, the buzz of the stadium audience, and the feeling of being part of a large crowd of people cheering as one.
There’s a different feeling when you’re at the stadium versus when you’re not, and that could make all the difference with enjoying a game, even if you’re not a fan. Even if these elements don’t convince you, being at the live venue gets you inside access to the place itself. Talk a walk around the stadium and check out all its historic glory.
On top of that, stadiums like the Madison Square Garden have multiple merchandise stores you can browse during halftime. There’s usually some sports memorabilia, and you can learn more about the home team and its history.
That should help you appreciate the team that you’re watching even more and maybe even get into the game. And if those won’t work, just remember that you paid for your ticket and that alone is a valid reason why you should try to enjoy the gameplay.
TV Time With Family or Friends
There are people who truly prefer watching games at home on TV. They hate that the plastic seats in the stadium don’t have enough legroom and prefer the comfort of their recliner without any kids kicking the back of their seat.
On top of that, watching games at the stadium means long lines just to buy food or go to the restroom. If your family members and friends fall into this category of homebodies, then the best way to enjoy watching sporting events would be to watch it with them in the convenience of a comfortable living room.
There won’t be any obnoxious fans around, and you’ll all be more comfortable sitting in more spacious seats. Isn’t this scenario fun? Ideally, it is, but if you’re not into sports, having a reason to spend time with your family or friends may just do the trick.
Sure, you may not know the teams. You probably don’t know any of the players either. Can you imagine asking a hardcore fan seated next to you at the stadium while he’s busy cheering for his team? At home, you have people close to you that you can likely ask without hesitation. Now, that’s infinitely better.
Know the Basics of the Sport
Sporting events are always scheduled a good amount of time beforehand and because they are, you’ll probably hear about the game or event before its occurrence. If so, it wouldn’t hurt if you read a little bit and learn about the basics of the sport.
Usually, the team which scores the most points wins the game. This holds true for basketball, football, baseball, and hockey among others. But when it comes to golf, the player with the bigger “minus score” wins the tournament.
Different sports have different scoring methods. Basketball is scored by 1, 2, 3, or even 4 points, while football is by 6, 3, 2, and 1 points. In baseball and hockey, each run and goal simply counts as one.
Learn how the game is won, how teams score points, goals, or runs. This information is available via Mr. Google and these days, you can access the internet with your mobile phone or tablet. You don’t even have to understand the sport in detail. Just know the basics so that when you’re watching the game, you know which team is winning or losing.
Cheer for a Player or Team
What makes sports enjoyable is the competition that exists among teams and players. And when you have competition, there’s also the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. One side wins, and the other loses.
Unless of course, the match, game, or fight ends in a tie or draw, which usually happens in combat sports, soccer, or some American football games. Winning is fun. And losing isn’t enjoyable.
But what happens in between is what makes it all worthwhile. Now, you won’t be able to feel all of these victories if you’re just a mere spectator who isn’t rooting for the home or the visiting team, the champion or the challenger.
Force yourself to pick one side. It really doesn’t matter how you choose that side. What’s important is that you have to choose a team or a player and cheer for them. When you’re hoping for a specific team or athlete to win, you’re investing a little bt of yourself in a game and that creates a lot of excitement.
Place a Small Bet on the Game
They say it’s fun to put your money where your mouth is… So, you’ve picked a side to cheer for. That’s already exciting. But if you want some added thrill, and if you want to enjoy a sporting event or game, then you have to invest a little something besides your emotions.
Gambling is a huge part of sports culture. It’s only bad when you don’t know when to stop. But when you’re just watching a game and trying to enjoy it, consider placing a wager or two. Gambling online makes it convenient since you don’t have to wait in line or drive to a casino just to place a bet.
There are many real money online gambling sites where you can put your money on a particular team or player through their online sportsbook. A little betting and gambling is super easy and can be make a game more exciting.
The most basic and common wager available is one where you’re simply betting on who wins a particular game. But there are also spread bets which give plus or minus points to teams, and there are over/under odds which add up the total scores of the teams.
You can choose which kind of bets you want to make and which teams to bet on. When you’ve invested something more substantial on a team, this makes the game far more interesting for you. And if you win the bet, that’s great! If not, at least you enjoyed the game.
If All Else Fails, Enjoy the Booze
We’ve already given you five tips on how to enjoy watching a sporting event or game if you’re not familiar with sports. If all five don’t work for you, then you can still enjoy the game by enjoying the booze.
Like gambling, drinking is a part of sports culture. When you’re watching a game at a stadium, they usually sell alcohol at the concession stands. Beer is also often the drink of choice when watching games on TV.
I certainly won’t blame you if you tried everything on this list and still, you didn’t enjoy watching a game. But you would be lying if you said that you didn’t enjoy a game after drinking an ice-cold beer. Feel free to tell me that I’m wrong here.