How to Talk About Sports

Sports are such a major part of society that team scores are given a place of honor next to news headlines and weather reports on radio newscasts. People often use sports as a neutral topic of conversation to break the ice with people they don't know very well. For those who don't follow sports, it can help to create smooth social interactions to be able to talk about sports with others, especially if you know ahead of time that you will be spending time with a sports fan.

Instructions

    • 1

      Identify the sports that are currently in season. It will immediately flag you as someone who is uninterested in sports if you ask about a sport that is currently in the off-season. Glance at newspaper headlines to find out major sports-related happenings, such as end-of-season playoffs. Internet news pages that display a large number of headlines are a good way to find out what is happening in the sports world in very few words.

    • 2

      Follow your local teams. Many people in your hometown will be most interested in the happenings of your local teams, or those in the city closest to you. Knowing a little bit about one of your local sports teams will carry you a long way through many conversations.

    • 3

      Discuss broad topics. Timeless topics such as the impact of the Olympic games on a host city's local sports teams, or the use of steroids in professional sports, can bring the conversation to a place that does not require you to have up-to-date knowledge of a particular sport.

    • 4

      Listen actively when your conversational partner is speaking, even if he is talking about something you are unfamiliar with. You may hear something that you can use to ask a question or make a comment and so keep up your end of the conversation. Also, passionate sports fans usually have a particular opinion that they wish to express and are happy to do most of the talking.

    • 5

      Ask questions. If someone asks your opinion about last night's game, you can say you missed it but would like to hear what happened. This gives your sports fan a chance to discuss his favorite topic while not requiring any specific knowledge on your part.