As you allude to, I’ve heard it said that women get together to be social, and the activity is secondary, while for men the activity is primary, and the social aspect is secondary. The older I get and the more I observe, the more I feel that’s true, at least on the surface level. The shared interest helps in forming the connection or begin a conversation. Conversations usually lead to other things… Rather than disparage the interest, I urge men to be more proactive in forming or joining groups around an interest. And don’t rely on family gatherings or sports/a TV screen.