A Relationship Guide for Dating People Who Don’t Like Sports
You may very well be a purist who would never EVER date outside of the sacred religion of collegiate athletics fandom. But many of us find ourselves in relationships with people who do not share our love for the game, whatever game that might be. This can lead to awkward conversations and vacant stares, but it can also be a way to schedule independent time and mutual trust between two partners. If you’re in a relationship with someone who doesn’t like sports and you want to make it last, follow some of these strategies to make the most of it!
1) Schedule Quality Time Away From the Game. Don’t try to drag your Significant Other into the deep end of your sports fascination. Just don’t. He or she may come willingly, of his or her own volition. But don’t depend on that, and don’t make it a prerequisite for the success of the relationship. Let your time be your time and their time their time. And make both quality. Research the best football betting sites to, perhaps, monetize your fascination. But if even this fails to elicit interest in your partner, don’t sweat it. Try to cultivate an interest that you both share, and give hours to this activity. If you do this and your partner feels liked and happy, you won’t have to feel guilty for the time you spend watching, thinking about, blogging about, and generally obsessing over college sports.
2) Make it Interesting When You Talk About it. All of us know the glazed over look that comes into our loved ones’ eyes when we drone on for 15 minutes about Temple’s recruitment prospects for 2021. Don’t do this to your friends, and ESPECIALLY don’t do this to your SO. In any good relationship, you should be able to talk about your hobby sometimes. When you do, make it good. Draw your boy or girlfriend into the conversation by explaining what’s interesting about a certain situation, or the human lives behind the action. Also, keep your explanations short. If you can’t keep your SO interested in what you’re talking about for 3 minutes, there’s little chance that another 10 will help matters.
3) Don’t Go Overboard. Set parameters for how much time you spend with sports, and how much time you spend cultivating important aspects of your relationship and life. Discuss these with your SO. Create situations where you can let your hair down a little, like March Madness, but generally keep to the plan. This way your sports-averse partner won’t feel cheated by your obsession with sports, and will be more likely to even join you in your enjoyment of the game.
Sports people can be in quality relationships with non-sports people. It can be challenging sometimes, but it can be done. If you are invested in a relationship with someone who doesn’t like the same games you do, just let that be a part of your relationship that’s enjoyed with some distance. No two people have everything in common. Allow space, be nice, and you may even find your partner drawn in.
