Women's Health
Sports-related Valentine's Day Gifts for Her
By
Jan 28, 2010 - 12:27:11 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Tickets to the game -- how, er, romantic? Self-serving -- of course -- but sports-related Valentine's Day gifts for Her could also bring some of the drama, emotion and sizzle found on the court or playing field into the burgeoning romantic relationship. More and more women are becoming sports fans, says Antonio Williams, a sports marketing expert at Indiana University, making sporting events tickets, apparel and other sports-related gifts a nice way to make sports part of a relationship and to tap into the emotional and social aspects of sport. If a girlfriend went to football games with her father when she was younger, for example, taking her to a game could stir feelings of family and fondness. "If you take her to a big game and your team wins, it will tap the nostalgia aspect because she'll remember that game for the rest of her life -- even if she's not a sports fan," said Williams, who proposed to his wife (and long-time Colts fan) during an Indianapolis Colts game. "Sports give you the drama, reality entertainment. It provides the unexpected. And let's not forget the 'sizzle,' the half-time entertainment, games, cheerleaders, restaurants, gift shops." Williams said women make up almost half of fans for the four major, professional sports -- The National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. With actresses and movie stars dating and marrying professional athletes, sports have become much more a part of pop culture. Successful female athletes, such as tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, also are becoming more mainstream, appearing in reality TV shows and on the covers of magazines such as Vanity Fair not just Sports Illustrated. "Sports has a pop and sexy feel to it," said Williams. "Pop" and "sexy," perhaps, but Williams said any old ball cap or t-shirt will not do on Valentine's Day -- a homerun will take some legwork. He offers the following tips:

If you want to take her to a sporting event, scout it out beforehand to make sure the facility is clean, the sound system is clear and that overall service is good. Clean restrooms also are important, Williams said.

Check with the venue regarding promotions -- many men, like Williams, propose to their girlfriends at major sporting events, and the venues can enhance this with scoreboard messages and other highlights. Williams said some sporting teams have promotions where their mascots deliver gifts.
Find out what teams she favors. Keep an eye out for sports apparel that her family members wear -- it might signal a team, verses a sport, that has her allegiance. Find out what sports she has played or where she attended college.

Take her to a game at her alma mater. She might not have visited her college in years. Such a visit could be sentimental and entertaining.

Top off a picnic in the park -- chocolates and roses included -- with a few tosses of the football. This combines romance and the emotional feel of sport.

Many professional sporting events are family-oriented thus attract couples and kids. Taking your date to such a sporting event might give her a glimpse at what a serious relationship or married life would look like.

If your girlfriend is lukewarm to sports, try to awaken her inner sports fan by taking her to a game that has "sizzle on the steak," entertaining half-time shows, cheerleaders, games and other gimmicks. "It's totally different, watching a game live verses being at home with all the distractions," Williams said.
Avoid unisex, over-sized clothes. She'll want to wear the apparel, not sleep in it, Williams said.

Williams said research finds that avid sports fans who are men tend to go to significantly more sporting events if their wives also are avid sports fans. Women also wield a lot of control over family purse strings, so if their kids want a specific athlete's jersey for Christmas, they -- and sports marketers -- better hope mom likes that athlete. Williams said the major professional sports have been focusing more attention on their female fan base. "They've figured out that women have a lot of buying power."

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