Let’s be honest, if you want your partner to feel comfortable with you spending hours on the golf course, watching football all day, or heading out to sporting events with the guys, she needs to feel included rather than sidelined.
Many women don’t dislike sports, they simply haven’t been invited into them in a meaningful way. Often, the rules feel confusing, the environment feels like a “boys’ club,” and attempts to engage are met with impatience or distraction. Add unfinished chores or feeling ignored during game time, and it’s easy to see why interest fades quickly.
If you want the woman in your life to enjoy sports with you, or at least support your passion, here are a few ways to make that happen.
Make it intimate.
Turn watching a game into quality time rather than background noise. Sit together, cuddle on the couch, share snacks or drinks, and laugh during commercials. When sports feel like connection instead of competition for attention, everything shifts.
Answer questions with enthusiasm and respect.
If she asks questions, that’s interest, lean into it. Explain the rules with patience and excitement, not annoyance. The more she understands, the more invested she’ll become. After years of watching football with my husband, I finally learned what a fumble is and that understanding made the game far more enjoyable.
Make it social and fun.
Invite friends over, prepare snacks together, pour a few drinks, and turn the game into a relaxed gathering. When the focus is fun and community, sports feel less intimidating and more inclusive.
Encourage participation.
If you love a participatory sport like golf, tennis, or pickleball, invite her to learn. Playing together builds teamwork, communication, and shared goals. I learned to play golf because my husband loved it and now I’m hooked. We spend time together, collaborate as a team, and yes, he gets to golf more often.
Invite her to live events.
When it’s not “guys’ night,” invite her to attend a game with you. Encourage her to bring a girlfriend if you’re going with friends, or turn it into a date night. Hockey games, in particular, make for great dates fast-paced, exciting, and fun.
Reciprocate.
Balance matters. Show interest in what she loves too, watch her favorite movie, go to the theater, ballet, or an art gallery with her. When effort flows both ways, no one feels taken for granted.
Including the woman in your life in your sporting interests creates connection, not compromise. More than anything, she wants to feel valued and included. When that happens, sports become another way to bond and your time together becomes richer because of it.
