Though COVID-19 relegated the tailgating experience to homes and backyards, you can still hang out with people you may not know very well. Small talk is an inevitable part of group gatherings, so you should know how to navigate it. Here are a few easy conversation starters during sports events.
Discuss the Game in Front of You
The lowest hanging fruit for any conversation at a sports event is the event itself. Spark up a conversation about the teams, the recent plays, the league, or the sport itself. If you lack the insider knowledge to talk about these things authoritatively, you can still carry a conversation by asking the other person about their take and offering a response based on their input. Sports talk can dive deep into statistics and players, but don’t let those details threaten your conversational skills—you don’t need to be a walking encyclopedia to have a genuine conversation.
Share a Blast From the Past
If you don’t have any current knowledge about a sport, you can talk about historic sporting events and all-stars. For example, if you were obsessed with racing as a kid, you might know the greatest superbike racers of all time. Share your knowledge on these niche historical categories and reminisce with the other person about childhood sports memories.
A blast from the past is always a fun option since no one can dispute or disagree with your lived experience. You can share whatever you want however you want. Suppose you grew up playing a few sports but weren’t very athletic. You can still share about that one time you played football or how you would play field hockey with friends in the summer.
Talk Food and Fun
Tailgates are all about watching a sporting event with friends while having good food and good fun. You can start out talking about the barbeque and appetizers you’re sharing and go from there. If you sense you’re talking with another foodie, you can discuss your favorite foods and share restaurant recommendations.
With these easy conversation starters during sports events, you can enjoy the game as well as the company. It isn’t always easy to interact with strangers, but they can quickly turn into friends with a few positive interactions.