25 Reasons Why New Yorkers Love Trivia Nights

I’m rounding out a week of blog posts dedicated to all things NYC trivia – events, hosts, attendees and trivia about the city itself – with an answer to a question which has been lurking in the back of my mind lately, and perhaps yours as well.

Why do New Yorkers love trivia nights so much?

Since I began hosting and producing live trivia in NYC in 2006, there has been a steady growth in both the number and types of trivia events offered throughout Gotham, presumably to keep up with the demand. Across every borough – every neighborhood, it seems – there is a new pub quiz night starting up, quiz league forming or “test your smarts” event at the local performing arts venue. Since forming TrivWorks in 2009 here in NYC, corporate team building events using live trivia have become so popular that our clients are signing up for multiple events per quarter – as opposed to once a year, as when I used to produce team building scavenger hunts in Manhattan. We are now also running public trivia events in Brooklyn which draw 300 people at a time.

Trivia is certainly here to stay, and growing rapidly at that.

From my unique perch here on the other side of the microphone, I’ve had ample time to observe, listen and form my own opinions as to why New Yorkers are so enthusiastic about trivia nights.

Here’s my list – let me know if any of this sounds familiar. New Yorkers are passionate about trivia events because they get to:

1. 1.     Show off how much they know
2. 2.     Socialize with friends after a long day at work
3. 3.     Meet new people
4. 4.     Compete for the chance to win, and beat the pants off of everyone else
5. 5.     Drink and think at the same time
6. 6.     Be creative with funny answers and clever team names
7. 7.     Heckle both other teams and the smartass trivia host (well- in my case, anyway)
8. 8.     Do something fun on an “off” weeknight
9. 9.     Roll the dice and maybe, just possibly, win the thing
10. 10.  Laugh a lot
11. 11.  Have a great time for not a lot of money
12. 12.  Enjoy a couple of hours between work and the apartment
13. 13.  Enjoy surprises
14. 14.  Exercise their “brain meats,” as I’ve heard it called
15. 15.  See people they wouldn’t get to see otherwise
16. 16.  Do shots on a Tuesday (not advocating this, just observing)
17. 17.  Catch up with a favorite bartender
18. 18.  Unwind and forget about the stress of the city outside
19. 19.  Feel smart
20. 20.  Enjoy a sense of camaraderie with a group from the office
21. 21.  Find other smart people to befriend and/or date
22. 22.  Not feel isolated or alone
23. 23.  Argue over “technically” right answers – or just argue in general
24. 24.  Do something “as a team” versus on our own
25. 25.  Feel like a champion

That’s what I think, anyway. How about you?

Have a great weekend, everyone! Will see you again on Monday.

Speaking of trivia nights, our next large-scale trivia event at The Bell House hosted by Pat Kiernan will be on Tuesday, April 24th – it’s selling quickly, so if you want to purchase tickets, act now!