Whether you’re a football, baseball, or basketball fan, nothing beats watching the big game on a wide-screen TV with all the home comforts close at hand. Sure, it can be fun spending the evening at a local sports bar with your friends, but if you would rather chill at home with your family and close friends, planning a glam sports night is a better option. To help ensure your sports night goes off without a hitch, even if your team loses, read on for some useful tips.

Indoors or Outside?

If the weather is good, it makes sense to host your sports night outside. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, you can buy or rent a projector and watch the big match on a large screen. You will have more room outside in the backyard and the kids can play in the pool while the adults get stuck into the on-screen action.

To make sure your garden looks super glam, light scented garden candles to ward off nasty pests and hang solar string lights in the trees and shrubs.

If the weather isn’t playing ball, bring the fun indoors. Remove all the clutter from your living area and bring in some extra seating so everyone has somewhere to chill. The kids probably won’t want to watch the big match, so provide some activities for them to do in another part of the house.

Preparing Food

Buckets of popcorn and takeout fried chicken always go down well with the guys, but this is your opportunity to do things differently. Instead of resorting to junk food, have a go at making some tasty snacks. Pocket Change Gourmet has some great recipes, including one for a delicious pepperoni pizza ring. Don’t forget to cater for the kids too – they’ll probably be happy with pizza!

Another option is to fire up the BBQ. On a warm summer’s evening, cooking some pre-match steaks and ribs on the BBQ is simply divine.

A Selection of Drinks

It goes without saying that you will need a selection of drinks. Nobody will be thrilled if the beer runs out mid-way through the match and you have to go to the local market to buy more supplies.

Beer is probably the default option, but depending on who you invite, it is worth having a selection of wine and other alcoholic beverages on hand, too. If you want to add a touch of glamour to the proceedings, why not prepare cocktails? There are some easy cocktail recipes online. As long as you have the staple ingredients in your booze cupboard, you can mix up some buckets of margarita, Long Island iced tea, or Manhattans. Your guests will be thrilled!

Don’t forget to provide a selection of soft drinks, too. Mocktails are a good choice, especially if you have kids – they will enjoy feeling grownup if you let them have their own special “cocktails”. If the weather is hot, have plenty of thirst quenching cold water available.

Sports night at home doesn’t have to be boring. With the right food, drinks, and atmosphere, you can have a ball!