We cannot agree on the official rules for watching football at our place.
By @edie · Relationships
My bf (32M) and I (30F) host for our friends every Sunday. He just dropped a list of 'house rules' on everyone that are completely insane, and now half the group is threatening to watch somewhere else.
The full story
My boyfriend is a diehard football fan. I'm more of a social fan, but I love hosting, so our place has become the go-to spot for the season. It's usually a blast—good food, good company, lots of yelling at the TV. This year, my bf decided we needed to 'level up our game day experience' and sent a list of rules to our group chat. Some of them are fine, whatever: contribute to the snack fund, wear your team's gear. But some are genuinely ridiculous. The biggest one is 'No talking during a live play, from snap to whistle.' Not just for our team's games, but for ANY game we have on. We usually have two TVs going. they says conversation is what the commercial breaks are for. Another one is that if you're not there by kickoff for the 1pm games, you're not allowed in until halftime. they says late arrivals are 'a disruption to the team's momentum.' We have friends who are nurses or work service jobs and can't always make it right on time! He also instituted a 'three-strikes' policy for 'negative energy.' So if you complain too much about your fantasy team or how badly your team is playing, you get a warning, and on the third strike you have to put a dollar in the 'penalty jar.' I told him he sounds like a parody of a football-obsessed husband. they says he's just trying to create a serious environment for people who actually care about the game. A few of his buddies are backing him up, saying they're tired of people yapping during big plays. But my friends, and a couple of the other wives/girlfriends, are saying it's way too intense and they'd rather just go to a bar or another friend's house where things are more relaxed. Now the group chat is a civil war. I just wanted to eat wings and now I'm a mediator in a sports Cold War.
How people voted
- Bad Move — 35% (12 votes)
- Needs Context — 44% (15 votes)
- Reasonable — 21% (7 votes)
Readers are split: “Needs Context” leads with 44% — 34 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@nahimgood — His house his rules.
@alsosame — lmaoooo
@zaneactually — I feel like we're not getting his side of the story here.
@kindofmaybe — He's trying to control a social event to soothe his own anxiety about the game.
@benlol — Wow can't wait to hear how the penalty jar fund gets spent.
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