Start by making sure your viewing area is up to par. Bring in extra chairs, pillows and even TVs, if possible, to provide unobstructed views for everyone. Add a few folding tray tables so every guest has a place to set down their snacks and suds.
Then throw in anything with your team's logo on it — pennants, game blankets, foam fingers, mugs, whatever. Finally, add napkins and a tablecloth in your team's colors for your buffet table. For extra points and ultimate indulgence, plug in a mini fridge or wheel a cooler into your game room.
Visit the Evite Party Store to get more ideas and buy supplies! Don't invite any more people than can comfortably fit in your TV room and enjoy an unobstructed view of the set. And don't bother inviting anyone who doesn't care about the game, since die-hard fans won't appreciate the running commentary on the players' outfits or the play-by-play on another guest's latest date.
If you have more than one TV, consider putting one in the kitchen or even bathroom (just keep it well away from sinks and other water for safety) so guests don't have to miss one minute of the action. Finally, make sure there's a computer available in your viewing room for fans who want to check stats during the game.
Before you get your game on, ask guests to predict who will be the high scorer. Or make it a numbers game with a
points-based pool. Provide pom-poms or noisemakers to make cheering extra fun.
During commercials, turn down the TV and turn up some tunes, just like they do at the game. Or power up the Wii (or other system) and play the video game version of the game you're watching — especially good for getting out aggressions if you're team's tanking. If you've got golf on, set up a
mini golf course in your TV room for downtime entertainment. If it's basketball, take a time-out with trash can ball — just crumple up some paper, use a trash can as a basket and see who score a swish from farthest away.
Win your guests over with a buffet of ball-shaped food — think
sausage balls, cherry tomatoes, cheeseballs and peanut-butter buckeyes. For something more substantial, make your own family-size subs. Slice a long Italian loaf in half lengthwise, slather on a little mayo and mustard, then fill it with cold cuts, cheese, shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced onions and pickle slices. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, secure with toothpicks, cut into quarters and serve.
Or score a slam dunk with the ever-popular pizza, chili, chips and dip (bean, onion, guac or salsa), nachos or buffalo wings. If you're watching football, you can even get Ritz Football crackers, featuring little footballs stamped on every one.
Featured Watching the Game Recipes from Epicurious.com | Beer is a natural with pretty much any sport. But if you're watching a morning game, a Bloody Mary bar is an instant touchdown. If you've got tennis or golf on, consider a refined gin and tonic or a Tom Collins. And if you want to get fancy, try cocktails in your team colors (with or without liquor) by layering juices in the appropriate shades.
Be sure to offer nonalcoholic options as well with soda, water and, of course, Gatorade. |  |
| 1. | Centerfield / John Fogerty
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| 2. | The Sporting Life / The Decemberists
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| 3. | Mama Said Knock You Out / LL Cool J
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| 4. | Boom! Shake the Room / DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince |
| 5. | Firestarter / Prodigy
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| 6. | Machinehead / Bush
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| 7. | Walk This Way / Run DMC
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| 8. | We Are the Champions / Queen
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| 9. | You Dropped a Bomb on Me / The Gap Band |
| 10. | Eye of the Tiger / Survivor
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