Hosting The Ultimate Big Game Party

Football, beer, and copious snacks—for some, there’s no better holiday than the big game. It’s a bright spot in what is often a long, dark, cold, dreary winter.

Between the football game, award-winning commercials, and an always talked-about half-time show, it is one of the few events every year that spans interests. And there is no better way to watch the big game than with a big group of friends, family, and a few ice cold brews.

If you’re hosting your friends and family for this year’s big game, have no fear, we’ve got you covered with football party ideas and the best tips and tricks so you can be the host with the most, all while sticking to your budget.

Watch the Big Game on a Big Screen Tv

At a viewing party, it’s all about having a good screen. If your TV is on the outdated side, gathering friends for the big game could be the perfect excuse to upgrade to the big screen model you’ve been dreaming of. If you’re planning ahead you could score a TV on sale.

While there are usually fantastic deals Black Friday, you can find great deals on televisions nearly year round. You can usually find good deals near the end of January or early February as that’s when manufacturers traditionally announce new models. As a result, retailers are eager to clear inventory and make room for newer models, which typically hit shelves in early spring.

Have Plenty of Seating

The second biggest factor creating a comfortable and memorable viewing experience for the big game? Good seating. Make sure there is enough seating for all of your guests to enjoy the game.

While not everyone will sit for the entirety of the game, it’s best practice to have seats for at least the majority of your guests. If needed, rent or borrow chairs from friends or family. If you’re going to be asking people to sit on the floor, make sure you have plenty of comfy throw pillows and cozy blankets.

Set the Theme

A quick internet search reveals countless football party supplies and DIY ideas, from snack stadiums to cakes decorated like your favorite team’s jersey. It’s the big game and there’s no shame in leaning into the theme—so stock up on party supplies. From football-shaped paper plates and napkins, tablecloths modeled after the field, balloons, and inflatable buffet coolers flanked with goal posts, there are plenty of options to choose from.

If you’re feeling crafty you could DIY your own football-inspired bunting or banner. You can easily pull one together with just a bit of construction paper, some glue, and a bit of string.

This is a cost-effective way to add a personalized touch to your party. Plus you can customize the colors or add a saying to create exactly what you want.

Make It a Snacker-Bowl

A key to making any party a success? Providing delicious food that will make your guests mouth water. And don’t think that memorable food has to be expensive, there are plenty of delectable recipes for game day food on a budget. Some of our favorite cheap eats include queso, chili, jalapeño poppers, potato skins, and Buffalo chicken wings.

What is a great way to stick to your budget when hosting a party for the big game? Make it a potluck. As the host, provide a few staple food options that your guests can enjoy but ask them to bring an appetizer or dessert of their choice. If all goes as planned, you’ll end up with a variety of delicious treats and will minimize the stress of preparing all the food for the party.

Make Sure No One Goes Thirsty

After your guests dig into all of the addicting snacks you’ll be serving, they’ll have a definite thirst to quench. In advance of the party, make sure there are plenty of beverages for everyone to enjoy.

That means non-alcoholic beverages for the kids too! Set up a cooler or two with a variety of drinks, a few different types of beer, wine, seltzer, lemonade, or soda. This way your guests can take their pick when their thirst kicks in.

If you’re going to be serving bottled beer or wine make sure you have bottle openers and corkscrews easily available to your guests. This will prevent interruptions to the game as people crack open their drinks.

If you have space in your freezer, it’s worth having a bit of extra ice on hand. You’ll have it at ready access to keep the coolers chilled and for non-beer drinking guests to add to their drinks if they’d like.

Set the Scene with Great Sound

So, you’ve got the seating and viewing covered, but what about the sound? Make your guests feel like they’re watching from the sidelines with a state of the art sound system.

You can upgrade from your tinny-TV speakers with something as simple as a sound bar. Set up is generally easy and you can find sound bars with phenomenal sound for as little as $200 , so it won’t break the bank.

Organize an Activity

Competition adds a bit of liveliness to almost any situation, so doubledown to get your guests involved in the actions. As your guests arrive, ask them if they’d like to opt-in to a game of football squares . It’s easy enough for both fans and football novices alike. Assign each team either the column or row.

Then you can either let your guests select their squares or assign them. As the game plays out in real time, you and your guests can follow the score closely. The person at the end of each quarter whose score matches the actual score wins. If you’re not interested in playing for money (technically illegal), pick up four prizes at the dollar store to award the quarterly winners.

If you have kids attending, set up a station with toys, coloring printouts , and maybe even an interactive craft to keep them engaged and busy while the game is on.

One of the nicest things about having an activity or two at a party is it acts as an icebreaker without any of the awkwardness.

Between the actual game and the football squares (or another activity of your choice), your guests will have an automatic conversation starter, so there’s no unnecessary tension or social anxiety.

Manage It All with SoFi Checking and Savings(™)

The key to hosting a great party is attention to detail. Adding small, simple personal touches will add an element of warmth that will help all of your guests relax and enjoy themselves.

Now that you’re ready to throw a perfectly personalized and welcoming bash to celebrate the big game this year, the only thing left to worry about is how you’re going to pay for it all. If you’re ready to take your budgeting to the big league, consider opening a checking and savings account with SoFi Checking and Savings®.

With SoFi Checking and Savings you have the benefit of no account fees. Plus, you’ll get unlimited reimbursed ATM fees. That being said, our fee structure is subject to change at any time.

When you use SoFi Checking and Savings you have instant access to your checking and savings account so you can track your saving and spending without hassle. SoFi Checking and Savings makes it easy to manage your money.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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