How to Plan and Host the Best Superbowl Party Ever
Superbowl Parties
Knowing how to plan and host the best Superbowl party ever will boost your popularity with your friends, and you may find that the event is talked about for years to come. To pull it off, though, you’ll need to be organized, creative, and ready to make adjustments on short notice. Luckily, this guide to hosting your Superbowl party should allow you to realize some of the pitfalls in advance, as well as adding elements that will both surprise and delight your guests.
Getting Prepared for Your Super Bowl Party
Getting prepared for your Super Bowl party is key, as it will prevent you from having to make last-minute trips to the store on gameday. Before everyone starts arriving, make sure you’ve done the following:
Clean the House - You don’t need to clean the windows, but you
should at least give the carpet a thorough vacuuming before people start
showing up. Unless you want to be stepping on chips and crumbs for weeks, you’ll need to
vacuum again once the Superbowl party is over.
Stock Up on Toilet Paper - Your guests will likely eat and drink a lot, so expect people to take bathroom breaks during the commercials. There’s nothing worse than reaching for toilet paper only to find an empty roll, so make sure you have plenty.
Make Enough for Everyone - Know in advance how many people are coming over, and serve enough food for everyone. Asking guests to RSVP will also keep you from making too much food and wasting money.
Buy Alcohol or BYOB - If many of your guests like to drink, you should stock up on beer. If your guests can’t hold their liquor, consider serving soft drinks instead. And if you're on a budget, there's nothing wrong with having a BYOB (bring your own beer) party.
Consider Animals - A room filled with noisy strangers can be frightening to a pet, so put the animals away ahead of time. This is especially true for any animals prone to biting or scratching.
Designate an Area for Smokers - If all your guests smoke, then there’s nothing to worry about. Otherwise, designate an area for the smokers to get their nicotine fix without choking the non-smokers. If you don’t smoke, invest in a large, cheap ashtray.
Talk to the Neighbors - If you live in an apartment, talk to the neighbors and let them know that you’re having a party. If things get noisy, this can help reduce the chance of complaints. Of course, you won’t have to worry at all if your neighbor is coming to the party.
Essential Superbowl Party Food: Superbowl Menus and Recipes
Some folks may want to go with a specific theme for their Superbowl party, while others are content to mix and match. No matter what the case, the following are some essential food ideas that will liven up any Superbowl party.
Nachos - The most basic example includes hot cheese poured over chips, but you can add beef, chicken, tomatoes, or an assortment of other toppings.
Bean Dip - I have no idea what’s in bean dip, although I’m guessing it has something to do with beans. Whatever the case, guests seem to love it. Keep some chips nearby for dipping.
Hot Dogs - An American tradition that works well with beef franks or bratwurst. Toppings can be as basic as mustard and relish, or whip up some sautéed onions, mushrooms, and anything else you can think of. You can even cook the hot dogs in beer.
Chicken Wings - There are plenty of ways to prepare this party favorite, from honey-glazed to Buffalo-style.
Chips & Salsa - An old standby at any party. Make your own salsa or save some time and buy a few cans from the local grocery store.
Music for Your Superbowl Party
Use music to heighten the mood of your Superbowl party, both before and after the big game. Luckily, a number of songs reference football, and they range across multiple genres. The next time you visit iTunes, add the following to your playlist:
- “Super Bowl Shuffle” (1985 Chicago Bears) - It’s short on musical talent, but how often do you get a chance to hear NFL legends like Mike Ditka and Mike Singletary sing/rap?
- “All Kinds of Time” (Fountains of Wayne) - The tale of a rookie quarterback looking to pull off a last-minute win. The NFL used the song to help promote their 2004 season.
- “High School Football Friday Night” (Mojo Nixon) - The man who once sang about Elvis gives us a song that examines and celebrates American’s obsession with high school sports.
- “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” (Hank Williams Jr.) - This country song would later be transformed into “Are You Ready for Some Football?” and become a staple of Monday night broadcasts for years.
- “Green and Yellow” (Lil Wayne) - The controversial rapper expresses his support for the Green Bay Packers.
- “The Boys of Fall” (Kenny Chesney) - A country tune about high school football. If you have a chance, check out the music video featuring lots of NFL greats talking about their formative years in the game.
Superbowl Party Games
With commercial airtime selling for millions of dollars, you can bet that the Superbowl will have plenty of breaks. As the host, it's up to you to entertain your party guests during the breaks.
The easiest way to pass the time is by watching the Superbowl commercials or halftime show. This won’t showcase your creative side, but it’s an acceptable way to keep the guests at your Superbowl party engaged. For an added wrinkle, you can keep track of the commercials and ask your guests to rate them on a scale of one to ten. Then, as the evening winds down, you can tally up the scores and announce the winners.
If you have some extra coin in your pocket, another idea involves asking your guests football trivia questions. Each correct answer could win a prize, or you can skip the gifts and just do it for fun. Either way, this game will bring out the competitive streak in hardcore football fans.
Finally, there’s the option of wagering money on the game. This could be as simple as everyone buying football squares, or you can visit a sportbetting site and copy down a number of their proposition bets. These bets cover a wide range of events, such as who will catch the first touchdown pass. Having money on the line is sure to keep your guests interested in the outcome on the field.
Football Movies for Before and After the Superbowl
Watching football movies is a great way to get into the spirit of the game. Here are a few films about football, as well as some movies starring NFL players.
- The Replacements - Keanu Reeves leads a group of gridiron misfits while the regular starters strike. Gene Hackman plays the coach.
- C.C. and Company - NFL legend Joe Namath plays a biker. It’s not the greatest movie, but fans of the Jets will still love it.
- The Longest Yard - Burt Reynolds stars in the original and Adam Sandler takes over in the remake. Both concern a former NFL quarterback who goes to prison and must put together a team of inmates to play against the guards.
- I’m Gonna Git You, Sucka - The Wayans brothers deliver this parody of blaxploitation movies, and NFL players Jim Brown and Bernie Casey co-star.
- Any Given Sunday - Oliver Stone’s crazed look at professional football. Real-life players Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor join Hollywood icons such as Al Pacino, James Woods, and Jamie Foxx.
- The Waterboy - Adam Sandler stars in the comedy classic about a simple Louisiana waterboy who finds he has a talent for playing linebacker. Look for cameos from Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, and Bill Cowher.
Now that you know how to plan and host the best Superbowl party ever, invite your friends over and watch the game in style. Sure, your duties as host may keep you busier than others, but the gratitude of your guests will more than compensate. And once the final partygoer goes home, you’ll be able to fall into your bed or recliner and grab such much-needed sleep…at least until it’s time to start cleaning up.