Your 6-Step Guide to Host the Best Association Football Party

Football season is officially here! And there are few better ways to kick off the season than an association football party. As you sit down to map out a plan, it is important to keep three goals in mind. First, try to come up with a theme that will entice everyone to attend. Second, involve some residents of your community in the party planning. And third, remember to stick to your budget. With these key goals in mind, here is your 6-step guide to hosting an association football party that no one in your community will want to miss! 

Step One: Assemble your planning squad

Putting together a small team of people to help plan your party accomplishes three goals. First, your planning squad can help spread the word about your party. Second, you can use this opportunity to involve one or two people who may not be football fanatics. And third, you can make sure that your party reflects ideas from multiple segments of your community.

Step Two: Choose your "game day" carefully

The last thing you want is to invest in food, party favors, and planning only to have your party be a complete bust. Choose a date and time during which there are no major conflicts that would siphon away a large percentage of your residents. For instance, you may wish to refrain from holding your party on the evening of the state rivalry football game if you know that a large percentage of residents plan to attend that game in person.

Step Three: Begin promoting your football bash

All the planning in the world will be useless if you fail to promote your summer party ideas. To achieve a stellar turnout, you will want to use multiple modes of advertising. Here are a few ways to begin spreading the word:

• Your homeowners association newsletter: Feature the details of your party at the top of your upcoming newsletter 
• Flyers in common areas: Post flyers and eye-catching ads around mailboxes, meeting rooms, and swimming pools
• Social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are all great ways to send invitations and reminders about your event
• Email: Many associations have a list of residents' email addresses that can be used to send invitations
• A phone tree: Members of your planning squad can each help call or text a specific group of residents

Step Four: Have a game within a game

Not everyone loves football. But virtually everyone enjoys eating and winning prizes! Having a "Best Football Dish" contest will help involve members of your community who may not love football, but who love the chance to show off their grilling skills or cooking talents. You can also host a fun game of football squares and have prize giveaways for your contest winners. Be sure to advertise the prizes when you promote your party to entice people to participate!

Step Five: Make sure you have plenty of ice and beverages

Beer and wine coolers are great choices for game day parties. You will also need to have plenty of soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages on hand for younger residents and those who prefer not to drink. Depending on the time of day you host your party, you will also want to have some chips and candy on hand to supplement the dishes brought by residents for your Best Football Dish contest.

Step Six: Get the fans revved up for next year!

Through advance planning, proper promotion, and fun contests, you will be well on your way to a five-star game day bash. The only thing you will have left to do is to thank guests for attending and get them revved up for next year's association football bash. After all, it is never too early to start planning for the future!

The Bottom Line

Hosting an association football party is a great way to kick off the fall season and build a sense of community among residents. To learn more about the importance of building a strong sense of community, we invite you to contact us at RealManage. We look forward to helping your homeowners association thrive!