Football is proverbially seen as a man's sport, an
excuse to get together with the guys and drink until the final
touchdown. While men do seem to be the most common demographic (perhaps
they can relate to the idea of men knocking each other unconscious and
screaming) there are many women that do actually enjoy the game. This
is not simply referring to women who tolerate the Super Bowl parties
and serve up BBQ wings to the army of NFL fans walking through the
door. These are actually female fans that keep track of the score, root
for the home team and would kick the average guy's butt when it comes
to organizing a Super Bowl party.
What is to explain this
phenomenon and why don't more women enjoy football? Realize that some
sports parties are characterized by gender bonding. If men want to hang
out with their friends then, nothing personal, they may not warm up to
the idea of a wife or girlfriend crashing the party. The man may even
fear that the women will bring an awkward energy to the event, such as
criticizing some guy-like staples or focusing on the negative aspects
of football. The man may be afraid of such a scenario and attempt to
keep the game as mysterious and unwomanly as possible.
However,
some guys are open to the idea of their spouse joining in on the Sunday
fun, especially if she is a natural follower and enjoys watching a good
show. The woman may warm up to sports in an effort to bond with her
spouse or to make more friends. They may find exhilaration in showing
the team spirit, having the common enemy and foe as their mate. When
you think about it, football is a rather operatic sport; at once an
expression of primal human emotion and a gladiatorial battle between
giants. People live vicariously though these sports figures, and so
both men and women find human aspiration thrilling and maybe even
inspiring.
Then of course there are women who just love football
for the same reason that men do-because it's fun, because they enjoy
making predictions and cheering on their favorite teams, and because
they've watched every Super Bowl since 1975. Men are not the only ones
who can become obsessive over sports. There are some female NFL experts
out there who can feel the same rush of adrenaline that comes from
watching Tom Brady throw a game-winning pass. Everybody loves a good
competition and football is America's most competitive game, with the
most passionate of fans. It is at once, a patriotic event (watch the
city of Atlanta be humbled by Dallas, while New York feuds with Green
Bay) and a riveting thriller involving real life heroes and villains
who grab that ball for dear life.
There's only one thing more
satisfying in life than watching the Super Bowl with the guys, a bucket
of wings and a pint of your favorite beverage all to yourself-all that
plus a girl by your side who never asks to change the channel.
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