Does Cheering for the Same Team Bring Indiana Couples Closer?

Game day might look a little different at your house depending on who you and your partner are cheering for, but can supporting the same team actually make a positive difference in your love life?

There’s an old saying that goes, "Opposites attract," when it comes to relationships. Personally, I’ve never found that to be true. My wife and I, while happily married, share the same faith and opinions on nearly all important issues. We also enjoy many of the same movies, TV shows, and recreational activities. While some of these elements likely matter more than others, it’s worth considering whether not sharing the same favorite sports team could be a dealbreaker when settling down. My wife and I watch few sports outside of NASCAR, so it’s never been an issue for us, but perhaps it might be for you.

Same-Team Couples Argue More Than Others

A new study by PromoGuy.us conducted a survey to compare the strength of relationships between couples with differing favorite teams and shared favorite teams. Surprisingly, the data found that, overall, couples cheering for the same team actually have more sports-related arguments per year. On average, couples who cheer for the same team face 4.6 arguments annually, while those cheering for opposing teams have just 2.4 team-related arguments a year. Maybe when you're passionate about the same team, you’ve just got more to talk about—and thus more to argue about.

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Hoosiers Who Cheer for the Same Team Have Happier Relationships

Overall, when asked how satisfied couples were with their relationships, shared-team couples scored 9/10, while opposing-team couples scored 8.5/10. When it came to Indiana specifically, the scores were 9.1 to 8.4, with the higher of the two again favoring same-team couples. Realistically, it's not a drastic difference, but it is nice to bond with your partner on game day by repping the same jersey. On the other hand, I know many couples who cheer for different teams and have been happily married for years. Ultimately, it's up to you to determine what's a dealbreaker and what isn't.