For most, the best part of Super Bowl Sunday is the party. Individuals who love football and those who do not will attend a Super Bowl gathering. After all, the Super Bowl has become part of American history.
If you find yourself hosting this big event at your very own man cave, you are probably reasonably stressed. If you have hosted a party before, you will know that the fun rests on none other than the party-thrower.
Since Super Bowl parties are notoriously entertaining, you may feel extra pressure to host well. Your man cave and hosting skills must be up to par. Fortunately, you can follow these six essential tips for hosting a Super Bowl party to ensure that your gathering is top-notch.
1. Sending Out Invites
If you want to host a party, you need to invite people. Make sure you do not overdo the invite list, especially if you do not have a lot of space. Too many people in a small room can quickly turn uncomfortable, and you want to make sure that every person coming has a good view of the TV. Crank out an appropriate amount of people you’d like to invite and send them out invitations!
You do not need to send out a fancy invite. You may simply create a group text, send an email, or create an event on Facebook with your party details. It may be a good idea to have guests RSVP so you can figure out how much food and drink you need to host the party successfully.
If you’d like your guests to bring food or drink, outline that in the invitation. However, do not entirely rely on your guests to bring food or drinks if you can afford them. Refreshments are an excellent way to show off your excellent hosting skills.
2. Killer Refreshments: A Must
Out of all tips, this one is perhaps the most important. Super Bowl parties are notorious for tailgating snacks and food. Wise hosts stick to the classics that everyone loves.
According to an article by Today, the top three Super Bowl party foods are chicken wings, guacamole, and chili. The article lists a total of 50 foods. So, if you are not feeling wings, guacamole, or chili, you have 47 other items to choose from. Just make sure they are good choices for your guests! If you enjoy cooking and are looking for a way to make food options more original, Country Living provides some great recipes.
It is equally important to have a great selection of alcohol—fantastic snacks and food pair well with great drinks. Again, stick to classics like beer and do not skip out on a keg. Kegs are a great way to share large amounts of quality beer. One of your guests may even perform a keg stand.
Have fun with the rest! This is a chance to show off your man cave bar and bartending skills. Check out the Man Cave Bar section of the website for guidance on all things kegerator and an at-home bar.
Additionally, do not underestimate the value of desserts. After pigging out on savory foods, provide your guests with something sweet to eat. Go for something simple and enjoyable across the board, such as cookies or brownies.
Consider Dietary Restrictions
If you want to really succeed at the most important tip of all tips for hosting a Super Bowl party, be sure to consider your guests’ dietary restrictions. If you are unsure of possible restrictions, ask your guests. If you do not ask, make sure you provide options for those restricted to gluten-free foods or are vegan or vegetarian.
A simple Google search will give you diet-restricted recipes or point you in the direction towards diet-restricted take-out.
On top of that, you will likely be hosting guests that are designated drivers or cannot drink alcohol for whatever reason. Remember to have a steady source of water and buy some soda.
3. Keep Your Man Cave Clean
Out of all the tips for hosting a Super Bowl party, this one should go without saying, but it must be said. Nobody likes to walk into a home or room that feels and looks dirty. Remove clutter, vacuum, and dust your furniture. Disinfect your coffee table and counters.
Remember to clean and dust your TV. Having a clean TV is vital. Everyone will be watching the Super Bowl game and commercials on your TV.
Follow the Theme
When guests arrive, they should know they are walking into a Super Bowl party based on your decorations. Throw on a team-themed shirt and display an autographed jersey or football. A tablecloth that features the teams that are playing is a good investment. Not only does it stay on theme, but it also protects your furniture from spills and other party fouls. You can also buy Super Bowl-themed disposable plates and cups for easy clean-up.
Do not go over the top with unnecessary decorations! Remember, it is essential to keep your man cave dirt and clutter-free. Too much décor will quickly make your space look congested and unappealing. Another clutter-free theme idea is to turn on the pre-game as your guests start to make their way over.
4. Watching the Game and Setup
Your man cave is clean and decorated. Your guests are enjoying the food. The keg is pouring beer of the perfect temperature, and your guests are starting to feel buzzed from your amazing at-home bar and bartending skills. All that is left is to sit down and watch the game!
To watch the game comfortably, you must have a great viewing setup. The game will likely be several hours long, and it would be a real bummer if you left all your guests standing. Grab dining chairs or folding chairs and set them around the TV area. All seating should be put in a place where guests will have a decent view of the TV.
Do not lose your remote! You do not want anyone to turn off your TV or change the channel accidentally.
Spice Things up with Bets
While you and your guests are watching the game, you can make things more interesting by placing bets.
Tell those who wish to participate in the bet to hypothesize who the winning team will be and the final score. Then, tell participants to write down which team they think will win and their guess score on a piece of paper at the beginning of the game. Next, tell your guests that the winner of the bet will be whoever has guessed the correct team and is closest to the actual score.
Have those who want to participate put money into a money “pot.” Whoever wins the bet will win the pot. You can create a maximum or minimum dollar amount or let each participant choose how much they want to put in themselves.
If guessing the team and score sounds too complicated, you can just have participants guess the winning team only. Whoever participates and guesses correctly splits the money pot.
Spice Things up with Drinking Games
Drinking games are another great way to have fun while watching the Super Bowl. You can decide with your guests a list of words or phrases to drink to. For example, before the game starts, you may agree to drink to the word “fumble.” Every time you and your guests hear the word “fumble,” every person drinking takes a sip of their beverage.
You can have a list for commercials, and you can make your list as long or short as you want. If you have enough room, you can even set up beer pong or flip cup for guests that do not care to watch the game.
5. Have Fun and Stay Safe
If you forget all other tips for hosting a Super Bowl party, make sure to remember this one. It is no secret that Super Bowl Sunday is a big day for drinking. According to a study provided by BACtrack, Super Bowl Sunday sees some of the highest average blood alcohol contents (BAC) a year. The legal BAC is .08%.
Since you are hosting the Super Bowl party, you must care for your guests. Make sure your guests have a sober ride home. If they do not, take their keys
and call them an Uber or Lyft. You can even let them pass out on your couch in a drunken stupor. Whatever you do, do not let them drink and drive!
6. Enjoy the After Party
You have successfully entertained your guests by following all six tips for hosting a Super Bowl party! You and your guests may want to continue to have fun. Let your guests hang out for a while and enjoy each other. If not, go out to a local bar. Just make sure that you and your guests get an Uber or a sober ride to the bar and home.