Sober Tailgating and Having Fun During Football Season

September is upon us— and that means FOOTBALL! For the next six months, there will be a football game on almost every day of the week for your viewing pleasure. Are you a fan of college football or the National Football League? Do you enjoy watching College Game Day on Saturday mornings or the entire Fox NFL broadcast on Sunday mornings? Maybe you are one of the intense fans that wakes up at 5am to watch the NFL play overseas (there are nine international broadcasts this year). Do you go to games in person and enjoy cheering your team on in the frigid temperatures in the winter?

 

Tailgating and Triggers

Whatever your viewing pleasures, you will notice a surge in online gambling advertisements. The commercials are tied to the audience of people who enjoy having a good time while watching the game. Sportsbooks allocate massive marketing budgets to reach millions of engaged fans to enable them to place real time wagers. Football is the most watched sport in the world, bringing in many new and vulnerable customers to place a bet on what color Gatorade will the coach get showered in the game, or if the punter will make the game winning field goal.

This can be a trigger for many, especially those in active recovery. For decades, tailgating was associated with drinking and more recently, online gambling. Tailgating is closely tied to online sports gambling. They are deeply intertwined because both involve shared brain reward pathways (dopamine release), co-occurring addiction risks, and potential legal risks and financial hardship due to making poor choices while drinking and gambling.

Thankfully, there is a movement to provide safe and fun environments while watching a game from home or tailgating in the parking lot of your favorite team’s stadium. Many organizations and universities have adopted the sober tailgating movement, creating a safe space for everyone to enjoy the pre-game festivities and the game itself, without drinking and gambling. Collegiate Recovery Programs are prominent on campus all year round, and particularly active during football season.

The University of Arizona has Wildcats Anonymous and hosts alternative game day socials and sober tailgates. Look up a chapter in your area to see what events are happening. https://collegiaterecovery.org/

What about the lead up to the season? Are you a member of a fantasy football league? Do you and your friends get together and host a draft party? This could be a trigger, too. There are several ways to help you prepare for that event, and the long season that follows.

Host a theme party and tell everyone that no alcohol or betting is allowed. Have a fun evening with your friends, while keeping your recovery at the forefront. My friends and I have a draft party every Labor Day weekend. We make a whole event of it. The theme is grilling and potluck. Everyone is responsible for some dish or dessert and then we get together in someone’s backyard and have a bonfire, while drafting our teams. None of us are very good at picking teams, and money has never changed hands in the draft or throughout the season. One of my friends really loves cats. Once year, she chose her team based on “which player’s names sound the most like an animal?” (Ex: Brock Purdy’s last name mimics a cat’s meow). She did extremely well in the draft and made it to the semi-finals! We do it for pure fun and camaraderie.

 

Here are a few themed sober tailgating events to host at your home

Tailgate Foodie Cookoff: make food the centerpiece of your event! Challenge your group to bring their best gameday specialty: chili cook-off, nachos grande station, build your own hot dog bar, or epic slider or baked potato bar. Have everyone vote on their favorite dish and then crown the “Tailgate Chef” at the end of the game!

Outdoor Adventure Games: in the fall / early winter, before the snow and cold arrive! Set up a mini competition featuring several giant yard games: Cornhole, Giant Jenga or Connect Four.

Team Spirit: create a team spirit station with face paint, temporary tattoos and team beads (note: the beads will dye your neck that color if you wear them long enough—not that I know anything about that! LOL!)

Rustic Coffee and Cocoa Cabin: set up a coffee and hot chocolate station on a distressed wooden tray. Create a cozy theme using mason jars for the drinks. Make sure you have toppings like cinnamon stir tick, dark chocolate shavings, sprinkles, whip cream, marshmallows, peppermint syrup and caramel drizzle to make a fun hot beverage!

Crafting Table: have a variety of paints, markers, sketch pads, stickers, ribbon, paracord, etc. out for your friends to create their team’s logo or a fun sign to hang up during the game.

Getting a group of friends together for football games and fun doesn’t have to be a triggering event. Setting boundaries up front and communicating clearly before the event can reduce the pressure and increase your mental well-being. Putting the focus on socializing and connecting with others and enjoying the food can lower your anxiety.

Having regular social events can foster long lasting friendships and create a new community for you. This reduces isolation and symptoms of depression. Having something on your calendar also increases the likelihood that you will show up, as others are counting on you to participate.

Enjoy the football season, the food, the fun, and the connection with all your family and friends. Go Bears!

 

Amy Tilley, PsyD. has 20 years in the mental health and addiction recovery field. Her clinical interests include working with young adults and adults diagnosed with co-occurring conditions.

Visit desertstarARC.com or call 520-638-6000.