What to Do Instead of Watching the Super Bowl for Non-Fans

Published October 5, 2022
Group of friends at rooftop party

Each year it seems as if everyone is focused on Super Bowl Sunday and everything that goes along with it. The halftime show, the creative commercial competition, and, of course, the actual game and the parties. If you're not into football, it can be a bit distressing. Still, if you want to have some fun, there are plenty of alternatives to watching the big game. So, what can you do instead of watching the Super Bowl?

Super Bowl Alternatives

Super Bowl Sunday can be dull for people who aren't interested in football. Luckily, you do have options. You can escape to another sort of party, another room, or another screen. Or, you can forget about the Super Bowl altogether, get out of the house, and have other entertaining fun.

Have an Anti-Super Bowl Party

You hate football, but your football-loving partner has invited friends and neighbors to a Super Bowl party. What to do? You could create a separate party away from the madding crowd for guests who just want to chat without being disturbed by the boisterous shouts from Super Bowl fans.

Everyone can laugh and have fun playing Scrabble, Yahtzee, or Monopoly. And for more fun, you can invite your anti-football guests to place bets on which football fan will get the drunkest, which will be the most upset if their team loses, and which Super Bowl commercial will be deemed the best.

Have a Puppy Bowl Party

Are you a bigger fan of Fido than football? If so, before, during, and after the Superbowl, you could channel-surf over to Animal Planet to watch the Puppy Bowl on TV with your dog. Each year on Super Bowl Sunday, adorable, adoptable rescue puppies take to the gridiron and try to win the "Lombarky" trophy. If you're brave, you could have a Puppy Bowl party and ask your guests to bring their pups. Turn on the TV and watch the Puppy Bowl festivities. Have some small stuffed toy footballs scattered around and encourage your pups on as they run around playing while you snack on mini hotdogs. The Puppy Bowl lasts most of the day, but the main event is from 2 - 5 pm EST. So, if you have friends who are dog lovers and football fans, they'll still be able to catch the Super Bowl before switching back to the Puppy Bowl.

Host a Souper Bowl Party

Make a big pot of chili and other thick, comforting soups, and have a Souper Bowl party. For this party, you can have the Super Bowl on. But hang out with others who are less interested in the game and more interested in eating soup and tackling hunger by giving donations to Souper Bowl of Caring.

Friends eating soup, sitting together outside

Hang at the Snack Table

Enjoy the Super Bowl party, even if you're not into football, by mixing and mingling. Most partygoers will be cheering and yelling at a TV screen. Still, there's a good chance other people at the party aren't huge football fans, either. So, post up at the snack table because that's where you're most likely to find them. Talk and laugh with them, and before you know it, the game will be over, and everyone will be ready to party!

Spend the Evening at Your Computer

You could put on a pair of noise-canceling headphones and try to ignore everyone around you while you delete and reorganize the files or pictures on your computer. Still, watching some great movies streaming online while the Super Bowl is on TV would be more entertaining.

Be a Super Bowl Cheerleader

If you really want to do something outlandish, imagine how funny it would be if you and your fellow football haters showed up at the Super Bowl party with pom poms in hand and did some rowdy offbeat cheering in front of the fans. Of course, you'd probably be asked (non-politely) to get out from in front of the TV, but it would be great fun while it lasted!

Forget the Super Bowl

If you don't want to watch large men concuss themselves, forget the Super Bowl entirely... it's Sunday, and you can treat it like a typical Sunday. Just plan any activities during the hours all the Super Bowl festivities are on TV.

Binge Watch a Series

If you binge-watch a series during the game, there are many choices for tuning out the Super Bowl. Still, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, or Coach could be interesting choices for Super Bowl Sunday, so curl up on the sofa and binge away!

Friends sitting on couch watching tv

Go Shopping and to Dinner With Friends

Meet your friends for an afternoon of shopping and dinner at one of the best restaurants in town. On Super Bowl Sunday, while so many are glued to the big game on TV, you have the best chance of snagging a table at that boujie new restaurant that's always so crowded, and lines at the shops are guaranteed to be super short.

Take in Movie

New movies are usually pretty crowded on their first weekend. But Super Bowl Sunday festivities tend to lessen the crowds. You might even find that you're the only person sitting in the theater and can have the best seat in the house.

Plan a Romantic Day

If you're part of couple that doesn't care for all the Super Bowl Sunday hoopla, you can spend a long romantic day together. You could have an indoor day cuddled up watching movies or reruns on TV. Or, plan an outdoor day, going for a walk or playing in the snow. Superbowl Sunday is also excellent for couples to visit an aquarium or museum, take a day trip, or hold hands (or more) in an empty movie theater.

Beautiful couple having a winter walk in their city

What Makes the Super Bowl Super

If you're not a football fan, take heart. Once the Super Bowl is over each year, you won't have to think about football for over six months. Still, you're probably wondering why the Super Bowl is one of the world's most watched annual sporting events, especially since the teams involved don't often play so super. Perhaps it's because the commercials are so memorable, funny, clever, and entertaining. Or it could be that the halftime show rocks, or maybe it's because, football fan or not, many don't want to miss what's turned into a popular national cultural event and the biggest party of the year.

What to Do Instead of Watching the Super Bowl for Non-Fans