While it may never be as great as viewing a sporting event form the stands, you can still get close to the action by creating a special place to watch the game in your home — some people actually prefer it. First designate a room—the larger the better—as your exclusive sports room and check out the seven following tips:
Pick One Sport
For the most bang for your buck and the most exciting atmosphere, pick your absolute favorite sport. If it’s baseball or basketball, you are going to have lots of games to choose from. If pro football is your thing, you may have less available games overall, but each one is seriously important as a single loss during a sixteen-game season means a lot more than a lone defeat during a 162-game campaign. Of course, if you are crazy about football you can branch out into college sports also.
Pick One Team
Some people claim that almost every country home in Wisconsin is equipped with a basement or rec room that is a shrine to the Green Bay Packers. And others say that Millennials who call Minneapolis apartments home, will surely have Vikings purple and gold colors painted all throughout their unit.
While this may be an exaggeration, more of these “man-caves” exist than you might realize, and if you want to get in on this sort of fun, pick one pro team. Ok, we won’t be upset if you choose your state’s top college team also, but you might have decorating issues as we explain below.
Paint it Green and Gold or?
Again, if you’re a Packer fan, you’ll need to go to the depot and buy that bright green color along with it’s yellow-gold cousin. We’re sure that the paint outlets in your state will easily be able to help you get the absolutely correct Pantone versions of your team’s colors, and painting the walls of your viewing room with the proper team colors is a great first step.
TV or Video Wall
You can get some giant big screen TVs that will work great for watching multiple games with picture in picture and other features but if you really want to make an impact do a video wall. With a system like this, you will actually be projecting images onto a blank wall using a computer and a projector. Or, you can purchase a wall monitor like one of these:
Memorabilia
Now that you have the proper colors and the correct video equipment, it’s time to accessorize. Pennants, bobbleheads, posters, scorecards and newspaper headlines and clippings can all be found on places like eBay. If you’re not good at hanging pictures and these types of items, get help from someone that knows what they are doing.
Floor Covering
If you and your friends are going to be drinking a lot of beer while you watch the fun, maybe forget about that colored carpet and go with a hard and cleanable surface.
The Sound
And don’t forget, a high-quality sound system will definitely add to the general sports ambience of your viewing room.
Sure, there’s nothing like being there, but a lot of people did enjoy watching the Ice Bowl from the warm comfort of their homes, and with some effort on your part, you’ll certainly be looking forward to game day.
