IT WAS 3 A.M. when my dad and I pulled out of Spokane and headed south to Pullman. College GameDay was going live at 5, and we weren't about to miss it. Four days earlier, I was sitting at my desk in Boston when ESPN announced GameDay was coming to Washington State for the No. 12 Oregon game. I booked a Friday night flight that afternoon, Dad picked me up at the airport, and sleep just wasn't happening.
We won 34–20, but honestly, the score isn't what sticks with me. It's the lead-up. The buzz in the air before the sun came up, 33,000 Cougs packed into one small town, millions more watching on TV, and all of us knowing this was our moment. And my dad, standing right there next to me for all of it.
That's the morning I realized the best part of game day happens before kickoff.
I CAME BY IT HONESTLY. Growing up, my family had Seahawks season tickets, and every Sunday we'd make the trek across the state to the Kingdome. The teams weren't great, but I didn't care. I loved the noise, the crowd and being part of something that big. My first college game was in 2002: WSU beating USC in overtime, with the whole stadium rushing the field. I was hooked from that moment on.
Since then, I've tailgated all over, from Auburn and Wisconsin to Jerry's World and Gillette. The colors and the food change, but one thing stays the same: everyone's there for a good time, and the hospitality is incredible. Show up in the wrong colors and someone's still going to hand you a plate. Home is still Pullman, though. A burger and a beer at The Coug the night before, catching up with friends in Lot 1, a Bloody Mary bar in the morning, a run to Ferdinand's for Cougar Gold, then food on the grill and cornhole until it's time to head in. Those eight to ten hours have a way of washing all your troubles away.
EVERY SATURDAY, I'd see cool stuff in the lot that I couldn't find at Walmart, Costco or Dick's. Truly unique gear that real tailgaters swore by. Problem was, there wasn't one place to find it, and there wasn't one place for tailgaters from different fan bases to share ideas and good times. That's where the idea for Tailgater Supply came from.
IN 2021, WE WENT FOR IT. My wife was all in from day one. Our first order was 50 Tailgate Trekkers and 50 Tailgate Sidekicks, soft coolers made to carry the party from the truck to wherever the day takes you. We went with the name Tailgater Supply because it says exactly what it is: the place to get tailgating gear you won't find anywhere else.
THE EARLY DAYS were all hustle. A hundred coolers stacked floor to ceiling in the garage, with our dog Rooster in charge of quality control. Printing shipping labels off my laptop and running boxes to the UPS store. Spending weekends at expos, golf tournaments and Cougar events, anywhere tailgaters showed up. We picked up some great stories along the way, like Gardner Minshew signing a cooler for my mom, and trading a cooler for a box of crab that turned into a family seafood boil. Best deal I ever made.
WRITING THIS IN 2026, it's pretty wild to see where that garage full of boxes has gone. We write guides to stadium lots across the country, so you know where to park and what's allowed before you roll in. We share recipes that hold up on game day. And we carry gear from makers who love Saturdays as much as we do. We're still independent, still building and having a blast doing it.
PEOPLE ASK WHERE THIS IS ALL GOING. Here's the plan. Build a community of tailgaters from every fan base. Be a launch pad for people coming up with cool stuff for the lot. Put out recipes and honest gear reviews on video. Host meetups and Tailgater Supply tailgate zones at the biggest games. And someday, take this on the road, hit the biggest tailgates in the country, see what makes each one special and show people what we're all about.
At the end of the day, I just want you to leave your next tailgate feeling like you had a real human moment. Maybe you caught up with someone you hadn't seen in years, made a new friend, or rode the highest of highs and the lowest of lows with a stadium full of people. That's what this is all about.
SO, THANK YOU. To my wife, who's been right there with me every step of the way. To my mom, who still shows off that Minshew cooler. To my dad, for that 3 a.m. drive. To everyone who took a chance on us early. And to you, for reading this far. You're the reason we do this.
Happy tailgating,
Rusty