We all spend money to entertain ourselves. According to information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016 the average American family spent about $3,000 on entertainment expenses. That’s a lot of movie tickets and hardback books, but Americans, regardless if you’re in Enfield, CT, or in Miami, Fl, aren’t just spending money to watch films and read novels. They’re also attending sports events, buying their favorite player’s jersey, and starting a low-stakes fantasy league with their buddies from work. In fact, about sixty percent of Americans identify themselves as sports fans. Men with higher incomes are apt to be fans, and sports are more popular in the South and West than in the Midwest and East. Regardless of your gender, income, or location, there are ways to be smart when splurging on sports.
Hang out with friends. Sports are a great way to bond. If you’re at a party in Seattle and aren’t sure what to say, saying something like “How about those Seahawks?” or “Can you believe we’re getting an NHL team?” is a nice way to break the ice. If you find out a friend likes a rival team, then the two of you have something to tease each other about. Sure, there are a few people who like to be alone, so they can scream at the TV. However,more people like to get together with a few pals and a few beers to check out Sunday’s slate of football games. That’s where fantasy sports comes in. If it seems like more people play fantasy football, it’s not because you’re imagining it. It’s because the number of fantasy football participants has exploded in the last decade, going from less than 20 million in 2007 to almost 60 million in 2016.
It can be suspenseful to watch the minutes tick down in the fourth quarter and wonder if your favorite receiver will score the winning touchdown. However, there are ways to build on that suspense and make the stakes feel even higher. When was the last time you got a trophy? Most of us non-professional athletes aren’t in the habit of receiving them, which is why awarding a fantasy football trophy to the winner of your league makes a lot of sense. It’s not going to be a trophy on par with the Lombardi Trophy that Super Bowl winners get, but that’s OK. An inexpensive trophy can still be displayed on your bookshelf.
Make a vacation of it. Most sports fans have a few home teams that they favor, which is great. However, you can elevate the experience by going on a road trip with your favorite team. If you can, make it an actual road trip and take a car. A Mariners fan will forever remember taking a trip down the coast to visit San Francisco’s AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Bring a few baseball-loving friends along and make a few pit stops along the way. A stop at The Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park in North Bend, OR allows you to take a shot at hitting the jackpot a few days before you watch your favorite batter take his shot at hitting a home run. Seeing the game live and in person is always going to be more memorable than watching it on TV, regardless of if you have to drive five miles or five hundred miles to get to the stadium.
Photo by Nídia Piza
Milo Senalle
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