Dating A Sports Lover When You Aren't One
Full disclosure: sports are not my thing. I only watch the Superbowl for the Halftime Show. I just recently learned who Kawhi Leonard is. Baseball games to me mean beers, hot dogs, and a sunny spot to read a book. Don’t ask me what first in 10 means. But my husband? Number One Sports Fan. He loves it all—baseball, soccer, basketball, football, rugby, lacrosse, curling, golf. He’ll even watch competitive Corn Hole. (I’m not kidding, I caught him in the act.)
How, you might ask, do we possibly get along? I’ve got a few tricks for loving a sports fan without having to love sports.
Find Where Your Interests Align
It’s not that hard to find places where his love of sports intersects with one of your interests. I, for example, love being social. Meeting up with big groups of friends and hosting at our apartment bring me unending joy. Guess what makes for great social events? Sports! We regularly go to Yankees and NYCFC with friends (he watches, I chat) and host other couples for playoffs, Superbowls, and other sporty things.
Do you love to shop? Go crazy at your local NFL store. Are you into cooking? Make him some tasty chicken wings when the big game is on.
Embrace the Love
You want your partner to embrace and celebrate your interests, so do the same for him. Find little ways to incorporate his love of sports into your lives. Stock up on sports-themed holiday décor, bake him a cake of his favorite team for his birthday, or whatever else you think will show him you care.
Compromise is Key
If my husband had his way, our home would be covered wall to wall with sports paraphernalia. If I had my way, it would be all vintage chic pillows, candles and flowers. Neither way is livable for the other, so we compromise. His baseball cards, framed Raptors tickets and other beloved sports items are proudly displayed over his desk in the living room and I get to put two candles in every room.
Compromise also means sharing the remote. We can’t always watch old Grey’s Anatomy reruns, just like we can’t have ESPN playing 24/7. We do a bit of both! He holds me while I cry at Meredith and Derek a few nights a week, and I sit next to him and ask a billion questions about why baseball players feel the need to spit all the time the other nights.
Try, But Don’t Fake It
Don’t give up on sports before you’ve given them a chance! Who knows, you might find some of them palatable. Thanks to my dear hubby, I discovered that I don’t mind soccer. And not just for the cute internationals in tight shorts—it’s actually a pretty cool game.
With that being said, if you give the sports the ol’ college try and still can’t stand ‘em, don’t fake it. You will never gain ground in a relationship by being fake, even if it’s just about sports. When basketball is on, I’m reading my book. And you know what? My husband says he likes those nights the best. He’s doing what he loves and I’m doing what I love, but we’re together.