Tailgating is a time-honored tradition that probably dates back to the early days of sporting events, although soccer is usually the first thing that comes to mind for most people. Nothing builds anticipation for an impending showdown between fan-favorite teams like hours of partying before the actual sporting event takes place. It’s food, family, friends, fun and socializing on a scale that is completely incomprehensible to anyone unfamiliar with or a fan of outdoor sporting events.
So how did tailgating become such a big tradition? Well, if you examine some of the earliest documented historical events, you might find that while modern tailgating most likely has its roots in college football, it can date back to the mid-1800s—think Civil War. You probably wouldn’t think a war would be a place to throw a party, but it seems that’s exactly what happened at the Battle of Run in 1861. Union supporters showed up with baskets of food and cheered enthusiastically as the soldiers yelled , “Go, Big Blue!” This may be a bit puzzling, but it is apparently a documented historical event.
If you’re looking for a more upbeat story of modern tailgating, then another event that comes to mind is the Rutgers vs. Princeton football game that took place in 1869. Here was tailgating at its best: lots of people, food, fun and friendly rivalry based on vehicles of the time, which is how tailgating probably got its name.
Going back to the present, tailgating has skyrocketed in growth and has become an integral part of Saturday afternoon and late night college football games. Fans start gathering in the early hours of the morning for games that aren’t scheduled to start until later in the evening. College football game days are an all-day event for avid supporters. In some schools, tailgating is in a league of its own with many tailgating themed events. Although many people tend to think of college football when they think of tailgating, other major sporting events also have crowds that follow. Professional sporting events of auto racing, football, and baseball also attract large numbers of these social revelers, as do high school football and soccer events.
So what makes for good tailgating? Well, you only need to ask some of the participants to get the answer: lots of food, beer and socializing. Although many tend to stick to regular grilled food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages and fries, some make a point of sponsoring fast food events with high quality food such as lobster and ribs. Some of these supporters don’t even enter the stadium, preferring instead to watch the game via satellite TV from their comfortable folding sports chairs under their tents amidst a huge following party.
Regardless of the event you visit, you’ll find a wide variety of tents, coolers with soda and beer, comfortable folding chairs, grills of all sizes, plenty of food, and families and friends gathering to forget about the rest. of the world and live in the moment. No wonder tailgating has become a tradition that refuses to die.