Can Watching the Big Game Ruin Your Relationship?

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Men and women across the country will sit down this weekend to watch the Super Bowl together. It might make some of them more nervous than others, however, as one in every five people has seen a previous relationship ruined by sports, according to a new survey conducted by It's Just Lunch, a matchmaking service for busy professionals.

The younger you are, the more likely watching the big game together could lead to disastrous results. One in every three people aged 18-24 said a previous relationship had been ruined by sports. Women were more likely to say the issue was the amount of time and money spent on sports, while men were more likely to admit that a bad mood after a "crappy game" caused the fight.

"The good news is, we learn to compromise in relationships as we get older," said It's Just Lunch spokeswoman Irene LaCota. "If you're a diehard Giants fan, you might not agree to wear an Eagles jersey to the game with her, but as we mature, we realize the more important thing is the time we get to spend together."

For many Americans, Sunday might be the only time of year they enjoy a sporting event together. For others, however, sports are an important part of their life, and they want a partner who can enjoy sporting events with them.

Other interesting results from the survey:

Women are more enthusiastic about having a first date at a sporting event than men. Only 23 percent of women said they'd rather not go to a sporting event on a first date, compared to over a third of all men.

"You have to slowly show a girl your crazy sports side, otherwise, it may be your last date with her," explained Jeremy, a 33-year-old living in Salt Lake City.

"Wearing a jersey and yelling isn't the best first impression," agreed Rob, a 32-year-old living near Dallas, Texas.

Some good news for sports teams: 84 percent of people said they'd be willing to use vacation time to travel to a sporting event with their significant other. Fifty-three percent of both men and women said they'd be ok if it was just once for a big event, and 31 percent responded with the more enthusiastic: "When do we leave? I'll pack my bags!"

Super Bowl parties could be a good place to meet a date. Forty-five percent of both men and women said a Super Bowl party would be a good place to meet a date. Only 21 percent of men and 14 percent of women responded that Super Bowl parties were a bad place to meet a date, the rest said it depended on who was throwing the party.

The younger someone is, the more likely they found it important their partner be interested in sports. Twenty-five percent of 25- to 34-year olds indicated their partner must like sports and be willing to go to and watch games, whereas only 10 percent of 55- to 64-year olds felt the same way. Overall, 59 percent of men and 43 percent of women wanted a partner who would watch a game or go to a game every once in awhile.

No doubt, some of the non-sports fans out there are celebrating the Super Bowl because it means football season is over. If, however, you're dating someone who will simply move on to watching college basketball, the NBA or NHL, LaCota has some advice for you:

"When you realize doing something that makes the other person happy makes you happy – especially when it's something you wouldn't ordinarily partake in – that's when you know you're in the relationship for the right reasons," said LaCota.

Source: It's Just Lunch 2015 survey of 1400+ singles

About It's Just Lunch

It's Just Lunch is a specialized dating service for professional singles.  It's Just Lunch's dating specialists save singles from the frustration of having to search through seas of online profiles, or play endless e-mail tag.  The company, which has arranged over a million first dates over the past 23 years, handles everything in a personalized and efficient manner – from finding the right matches to making all the arrangements for lunch, brunch or after-work drinks.  It's Just Lunch was founded in 1991 and has grown to service over 150 cities within the U.S. and internationally, and has many wonderful success stories.  For more information, please visit www.itsjustlunch.com and www.itsjustlunchblog.com.

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SOURCE It's Just Lunch

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