Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Get into the big game at a local watch party
Among the joys of the football season are the numerous opportunities to get together with friends and fellow fans to cheer on a favorite team. Outside of the stadium, there’s no better gathering spot to watch the big game than a local bar or restaurant. The excitement of game day only grows when watching the action alongside dozens of fellow fans, and it’s the perfect time to get into the big game at a local game watch. Bars and restaurants hold such events each week of the season, culminating in the BIG game, and there are many reasons to make a game watch part of your big game day plans.
· Let someone else handle the cooking. Food features prominently on game day, and that can make the day a little tiresome for hosts who like to man the grill or smoker for guests. When attending a game watch at a local bar or restaurant, fans can indulge in their favorite foods without having to make it themselves. That leaves more time to watch the big game and socialize with friends and fellow fans.
· Watch more than one game. Interest in football stretches beyond the local teams. Millions of fans now have an interest (sometimes financial!) in multiple games each weekend, making a local bar or restaurant an ideal place to catch all the action.
· Meet fellow fans. During the pandemic, millions of fans had to confront the cancellation of various sporting events and attendance restrictions at local stadiums that greatly limited how many people could watch their favorite teams in person. Those events reminded fans just how much they love their favorite teams and gathering with fellow fanatics. A game watch at a local bar or restaurant provides a great opportunity to meet fellow fans and get together with old friends.
· Save money. Food and drink specials are par for the course at game watch events hosted at local bars and restaurants. That’s a great way to save, and the cost of attending a game watch is likely considerably less than heading to the stadium to see a favorite team in person. Data from the secondary market ticket seller SeatGeek indicates the average ticket price for a National Football League game is $151, which does not include parking, transportationrelated costs to and from the game (i.e., tolls and gas) or food and drink at the game.
Game watches connect millions of sports fans each year. Fans can make the most of what figures to be an exciting football game by spending game day at a watch party hosted by a local bar or restaurant.