Tailgating is the party in the stadium parking lot before the game: fans park, drop the tailgate, fire up a grill and eat, drink and hang out with other fans until it's time to go in. It's as much a part of college football and NFL game days as the game itself.
Done right, it's the best part of the day. Done wrong, you're the guy everybody in the row is talking about. Here are our 12 rules.
1. Do get there early
Lots usually open hours before kickoff: 4.5 hours at Arrowhead, for example. The good spots go first, and nobody wants to set up a grill in a hurry. Look up your stadium's lot times before you leave, and check whether tailgating stops at kickoff. At some stadiums it does, hard stop. Our stadium guides list the times and rules for each one.
2. Do bring something to share
A six-pack, a tray of brats, a bag of ice, even paper plates. Nobody walks into somebody else's tailgate empty-handed. Bring something, and you'll get adopted by whoever's got the biggest grill.
3. Don't save spots
Cones, chairs, a buddy standing in an empty space: many stadiums ban it, and staff will make you move. Get there early instead (see rule 1).
4. Do pace yourself
Tailgating is a marathon, not a sprint. If you start at 8 a.m. for a 3:25 kickoff, round after round of flip cup will end your day before the game starts. Eat real food, and know your stadium's alcohol rules before you crack the first one. They're different everywhere.
5. Do bring water (and coffee)
An early September game in full sun on asphalt is no joke. Bring more water than you think you need, plus coffee or something with caffeine for the early arrivals. It's a long day.
6. Don't touch someone's grill without an invite
The grill belongs to the cook. Don't flip their burgers, don't adjust their coals, don't "help." If they want you on the tongs, they'll hand them to you.
7. Do bring a game
Nothing gets a lot going like cornhole. A good set of boards keeps the crew busy between plates. If you've got room, add a table for flip cup. Just keep it inside your space and out of the drive lanes.
8. Don't be the loud guy
Don't brag about your setup, don't blast your speaker over the whole row, and don't heckle the visitors. Tailgating works because everybody's welcome. Walk the lot, say hi to the neighbors, and treat a visiting fan like a guest. They'll remember it.
9. Do charge your phone
Charge it the night before and bring a battery pack. Most stadiums use mobile tickets, and cell service chokes near the gates, so download your tickets before you get there.
10. Do wear your colors (and don't tuck in the jersey)
Wear the jersey. Fly the flag so your crew can find you. And leave the jersey untucked. Unless you're on the field, tucking it in is a cardinal sin.
11. Don't drive home if you've been at it all day
Pick a sober driver before you leave the house, or plan on a rideshare. Nobody's impressed by a DUI.
12. Do clean up (unless you were the cook)
Bring trash bags. Dump coals where the stadium tells you to, never on the ground. Leave your spot cleaner than you found it. The cook gets a pass. Everybody else pitches in.
Know before you go
Every stadium runs its lots differently: when they open, whether you can use charcoal, whether you have to pack up at kickoff. Look up yours in our stadium guides, starting with Arrowhead. Then plan the menu with our tailgate food ideas.
In this story
