Inside Tailgating: Fall 2017

GRILLS & GEAR - FOOD & DRINK - FANS & THRILLS

Fall 2017

The

TOP

10

Meet The

BEST TAILGATE THRILLS GET THESE ON YOUR CALENDAR NOW!

GUYS

REVOLUTIONIZING THE WAY YOU TAILGATE

THE BEST

GRILLS, COOLERS, GADGETS & GEAR www.insidetailgating.com

CLONTZY’S

LEGENDARY TAILGATES

ON THE COVER

20 The Tailgate Guys

The Good Stuff I have found myself watching more news than sports the past year or two. Whether it is the ongoing reality show—a.k.a. Donald Trump—the instability of a world approaching the brink of potential nuclear war or a natural disaster inflicting damage at a much greater scale than in years past—could it be global warming? Sometimes I have to watch news instead of a game, and 95% of it is not good.

There is one segment that provides some hope, though, on CNN’s “New Day” morning show with Alisyn Camerota and Chris Cuomo.

It’s not the Bleacher Report segment with Coy Wire, which I do really appreciate and find entertaining. It is “The Good Stuff” where they highlight an everyday citizen doing amazing things for his or her community without any accolades.

J.J. Watt has taken “The Good Stuff” to another level. Count me among those on the J.J. Watt bandwagon. You know the story. The star defensive end for the Houston Texans set a goal of raising $200,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief and managed to turn it into $30 million (and counting) through a social network charity campaign with a boost from news outlets. That’s more than one hundred times his original fund raising goal, just incredible stuff, and something we can all learn from over and over again.

When the positive act of a sports celebrity collides with the positive side of social media and news media, something great happens. When you set out to do something good for others with no expectations, no strings attached, no desire for anything in return, special things can happen. Maybe not to the magnitude they have for J.J. Watt, but it counts as a win…for an individual, a community or the world.

The primary reason I enjoy tailgating is to share good times and socialize with people I know well and with those I don’t know at all.

Just being around, available and open to giving or receiving can lead to incredible things. Channel your inner J.J. Watt this fall in the lots, have fun, be passionate and do some good stuff.

GRILLS & GEAR 5 10 Best Grills 10 10 Best Coolers 14 10 Best Gadgets & Gear

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FANS & THRILLS

17 Legendary Clontzy’s Virginia Tech Tailgates 24 10 Best Thrills Add These to Your Bucket List 5

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Stacey “Lil Big” Moore Editor and Publisher @LilBig02

INSIDE TAILGATING IS PRODUCED BY TAILGATING VENTURES, LLC:

FOR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES, CONTACT:

W. STACEY MOORE III: Managing Director smoore@insidetailgating.com 704-595-7603

W. STACEY MOORE III: Managing Director smoore@insidetailgating.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION BY Fiddlehead Studio & Press:

MICHAEL KEAN: Business Development michael@insidetailgating.com

JOANNA BUONO: Art Director joannambuono@gmail.com

CARROLL ROGERS WALTON: Content Director carroll@insidetailgating.com

For information about distribution, newsstand sales or investment and franchise opportunities, please contact Stacey Moore at smoore@insidetailgating.com.

Inside Tailgating Volume 5, Issue 11, Spring/Summer 2017, Copyright© 2017 by Tailgating Ventures, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Inside Tailgating™ is the trademark of Tailgating Ventures, LLC. Printed in the United States of America.

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Grills&Gear

INSIDE TAILGATING’S

10 H BEST

by Michael Reed Kean (Twitter: @michaelreedkean)

ere are ten grills of all shapes, sizes and power sources to get fired up about heading into this tailgate season.

GRILLS WEBER Q 2200 GAS GRILL

Weber Q Series has got a grill for you. They come in a multitude of shapes and sizes. They are even available in Chicago Cubs and Harley Davidson special editions. We selected the 2200 model for a little more cooking surface (280 square inches), but the 2200 is still compact enough to take with you anywhere you want to get your gourmet on. www.weber.com

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GRILLS&GEAR NAPOLEON TRAVELQ 2225 PORTABLE GAS GRILL IN ORANGE

Looking for some color in your life? The TravelQ will brighten your day while also making grilling on gameday a whole lot easier. With 10,500 BTU and 225 square inches of cooking surface, the TravelQ is unstoppable. www.napoleongrills.com

BIG GREEN EGG MINI MAX

Ceramic kamado-type grills are heavy for a reason, but weighing in at a svelte 76 pounds, the MINI MAX is definitely doable. You’ll have 133 square inches of cooking surface in one the best grills on the market.

With an easy-to-grip carrier included...it may be worth the workout to take the MINI MAX on the road!! Your diners, friends, and guests will thank you. Eggsplore the possibilities at www.biggreenegg.com

RANCH HAND SANTA MARIA GRILL Are you looking to go big and rock a grill with western-style flavor? This 36-inch by 21-inch freestanding, wood-fired masterpiece might be just what you need. JD Fabrications, out of Santa Maria, Calif. offers a few different sizes.

Some have different steel thickness options on the firebox and wheel upgrades as well. Take a peek to see their other amazing models and products...GO HOG WILD!!! www.jdfabrications.com

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GRILLS&GEAR UNIFLAME ELECTRIC GRILL EBT1451W

Sometimes small portable electric grills make the most sense: less mess to clean up and they are efficient at what they do. The UniFlame Electric Grill from Blue Rhino caught our attention. You can find it at Walmart or at www.BlueRhino.com.

CHAR-BROIL AMERICAN GOURMET PORTABLE CHARCOAL GRILL

This is another sweet little smoker that has 250 square inches of grilling space, side vents, and a removable charcoal drawer for easy clean ups. The sturdy construction is highly touted and for tabletop grilling how can you go wrong? The grates are heavy-duty cast iron which always gives the avid grillers the home field advantage. www.charbroil.com

WEBER 14-INCH SMOKEY JOE CHARCOAL GRILL

One of the most popular grills used by real tailgaters every gameday, the SMOKEY JOE is lightweight, portable, and up to any grilling task.

Everyone should have one of these magnificent mini-kettle grills in their arsenal. You can use it to cook whole chickens, make a few quick and easy burgers, or to keep your backup coals ready to go! Don’t forget to get your SMOKEY JOE BAG as well to keep your grill safe and snuggly. www.weber.com

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GRILLS&GEAR 55 GRILLS MODEL 303

55 Grills out of Gilbert, Ariz. specializes in custom towable grills. They have three insanely awesome models from which to choose. Model 101, Model 202, and Model 303 are all rugged and wellconstructed mobile grills that can be branded for your own business or with the logo of your favorite team. The 303 boasts twice the grilling surface with a 60 gallon cooler feature to keep your drinks cold chillin’ while you’re grillin’....perfect!! Check out the Model 303 gallery at www.55grills.com.

CHAR-BROIL KAMANDER CHARCOAL GRILL If you are looking for perfect temperature control in a stylish and sturdy kamado-type grill—here it is.

The Kamander has insulated doublewall steel construction which seals in heat and moisture. The grill heats up quickly and evenly, and it creates consistent temperature control to provide the ultimate grilling experience. www.charbroil.com

JOHNSONVILLE SIZZLING SAUSAGE GRILL The Johnsonville Sizzling Sausage Grill is the best way to help get your brats game ready!! No splatter and in 15 minutes your sausages are done. www.sizzlingsausagegrill.com

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GRILLS&GEAR

by Michael Reed Kean (Twitter: @michaelreedkean)

10 BEST INSIDE TAILGATING’S

COOLERS W e have selected 10 coolers that come packed with utility, form, and function.

We’ve included some up-and-comers, your old standbys, and some coolers that inspire not only tailgaters but all outdoor adventurers. Enjoy!

COLEMAN 60 QT PERFORMANCE WHEELED COOLER

The Coleman 60 QT Performance Wheeled Cooler is an eye-catcher at the big game that you can use to show off your favorite NCAA or NFL team. Nobody will ever doubt your team pride again. www.coleman.com

TRITON TAILGATE COOLER

The Triton Tailgate Cooler puts an entire tailgate setup right on the trailer hitch of your truck or SUV. It provides storage and serving function all in one, not to mention keeps the setup to a minimum and the back of your vehicle clean and clutter-free. Your friends and neighbors in the parking lot are going to be jealous on gameday when you roll in with this incredible innovation. Check them out on Kickstarter.

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GRILLS&GEAR IGLOO PARTY BAR powered by LIDDUP

I know from personal experience, the Igloo Party Bar is truly a party on wheels.

Check out the light show as well. The Igloo Party Bar features the exclusive Liddup LED light system to help you find what you are looking for every time. The Party Bar also has castor wheels so you can roll the party around and then lock it down. With the 125-quart capacity, you will be fully stocked and ready to rock. www.igloocoolers.com

COLEMAN 16-CAN SOFT-SIDED COOLER

Another gem of a portable cooler is the Coleman 16-Can Soft-Sided Cooler, which you can find on www.nflshop.com in your favorite team colors and logos. The perfect little buddy cooler for gameday.

DOMETIC AVALANCHE 65 L

The Avalanche series of coolers from Dometic keep ice cold for 7-10 days! That should just about cover it right? The Avalanche 65 L with wheels keeps your refreshments mobile which can be essential if you are trying to track down friends at a large venue. If you are on an outdoor adventure and taking the Avalanche to a campsite, it has rugged all-terrain wheels. This all-star cooler has a 62.1-quart capacity, four cup holders, stainless steel hardware and a locking plate for added security. Stay cool this fall with Dometic. www.Dometic.com

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GRILLS&GEAR ORCA GREEK LIFE 20

Coming soon from the folks at Orca Coolers is a 20-quart ‘mac daddy’ of a cooler with your Greek fraternity and or sorority letters right on the cooler. Show them off proudly or give it as a gift to the college student in your life. www.Orcacoolers.com

KYSEK 150 L ULTIMATE ICE CHEST

The Kysek 150 L Ultimate Ice Chest is a beast. It reminds me of an old family cooler we used to take on camping trips when I was a kid that seemed to take up our entire back seat. The cooler had a seat cushion on top, so I used it as a bed, and it was pretty comfortable actually. If you have a large family or just lots of stuff, or maybe you are the type of angler who needs to accommodate some massive gamefish, take a look at the 150 L and see for yourself. Size really does matter. www.kysek.com

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GRILLS&GEAR

YETI HOPPER TWO 20/30/40

Portable, durable, and with a variety of sizes and color choices, the YETI Hopper Two is the MVC— most valuable cooler—at the pool party or any party for that matter. It’s perfect for fishing the river or going on a walkabout in the outback. The Hopper Two is superbly portable and comfortable to transport wherever you’re headed. And it is 100% leak proof. Zip it up and let’s ROLL out! www.yeti.com

IGLOO TRAILMATE JOURNEY 70 QT ATC The Trailmate Journey is a new addition to Igloo’s cooler line, and its wheels, to me, are key. After all, isn’t the Journey what matters most? This rugged, all-terrain cooler is ready to get you where you need to go. It has ample 70-quart capacity, a selection of sporty color options, and the Liddup LED light system to brighten up any adventure. www.igloocoolers.com

KOOLATRON W75 KOOL WHEELER

This Canadian company gets our award for freshest name. Koolatron makes all kinds of coolers and refrigeration systems. There are two versions (W65 and W75) of this 12-volt plug-in cooler and both will get the job done with plenty of juice to spare. The Kool Wheeler will get you and your food and bev in and out liquidy split!! www.Koolatron.com

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GRILLS&GEAR

10 BEST H

by Michael Reed Kean (Twitter: @michaelreedkean)

GADGETS & GEAR aving just the right gadgets, gear, and gizmos can make or break your gameday experience. Here are 10 Gadgets & Gear we think will take your tailgate over the top.

GROWLERWERKS

If you love craft beer and want to share some good libations with your friends, then check out GrowlerWerks.com. Their growlers, which come both copper-plated and in stainless steel, are works of art. Two sizes are available in both finishes.

The uKeg 64 and the uKeg 128 hold 64 ounces (4-5 beers) and 128 ounces (8-10 beers) respectively.

These beautiful growlers keep your beer fresh and carbonated for two weeks!! GrowlerWerks is located in Portland, Oregon where the love of craft beer is as legendary as Phil Knight. Being able to take fresh beer anywhere and share it with all your beer-loving friends makes perfect sense to us. We like the way you werk it, GrowlerWerks.

Top us off!! www.growlerwerks.com

DOMETIC HiPRO 4000 MINI FRIDGE

Are you ready for primetime? Are you planning on taking your next tailgate party to the ‘baller status?

Check out the Dometic HiPRO 4000 Mini Fridge. Not only is it cool, but it keeps your beverages cool while being energy efficient, spacious and totally quiet. Lights, camera, time for some action!!!

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GRILLS&GEAR

ORCA GREEK LIFE ROCKET

A can and bottle koozie combo that looks like it was engineered

by NASA. You need one immediately.

ASAP. STAT. www.cacoolers.com

THE GATERTOP

The GaterTop is an up-and-comer of a folding table. It will fold right out of the back of your truck or SUV and has adjustable legs to make it easy to level the table surface even if you aren’t on perfectly flat ground (which is almost always). The folks at GaterTop have launched a KickStarter campaign so they can start production of this incredible table. If you want to see more of The GaterTop please go their Kickstarter page and let’s make the GaterTop happen!

COWBUCKER

KICK-ASS hats, and even better adventures...That’s what Cowbucker.com proposes for their new lineup for the fall season. We couldn’t agree more. These hats are both lightweight and sturdy, whether it’s cowboy-trucker hats or boonie-style bucket hats. Doug the Cow knows what’s up and now you do too. Our friends out in Eugene, Oregon are hard at work trying to outfit everybody in the great taste of the Pacific Northwest. We will be on the lookout for all of our fellow buckeroos this season and every season! www.cowbucker.com

WRITE ON! SOLO CUPS Keep track of your cup with SOLO WRITE ON! recyclable plastic cups by either writing your name, making your mark, or drafting a short soliloquy about the sweet underpinnings of gameday celebrations… 18 ounces of brilliant! www.solocup.com

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GRILLS&GEAR KYSEK CHILSLEEVE

Why not double down on the Kysek ChilSleeve and head out on a parking lot walkabout or go visit your friend’s tailgate on the other side of the stadium?

Now you can carry six cold ones with you both easily and fashionably. The ChilSleeve comes in a variety of great colors. Talk about a pick six!! S.C.O.R.E. www.kysek.com

THE KONG

The Kong—another new product that has just completed a funding campaign—is the world’s first koozie and beer bong combo.

Sounds amazing right? The Kong can keep your can of beer cold like a koozie and just as easily convert into a portable beer bong. You just pour the beer into its plastic container, detach the expandable tube on the side and hook it onto the bottom.

Voila! Not only is it handy to bong a beer but a cold beer at that. This is cutting edge technology for tailgating, folks. Let’s show the Kong some big game tailgate love and get it going.

SHOTSTICKS

Shotsticks.com came up with a unique twist on the shot-ski, which is an old downhill ski converted into a group shot-drinking apparatus.

What’s different about a Shotstick is you can use either shot glasses or beer glasses. And you can extend a Shotstick to include everyone who wants to get in on the FUN! Get all your peeps together and go after the record of 225 Shotstickers on one Shotstick of epic proportion. We are big fans of games here at Inside Tailgating and this looks like portable fun that could be had by everyone. www.shotsicks.com

TAILGATER TIRE TABLE

The Tailgater Tire Table is a no-brainer for any outdoor adventure, whether you are hosting a get-together for the big game or camping on a weekend trip. It’s durable and easy to set up. For tailgaters looking to conserve space in the parking lot, the Tailgater Tire Table is the ultimate solution. Go to TailgaterTireTable.com for all the details and see for yourself how dynamic this amazing table could be on your next adventure!

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Fans&Thrills

by Carroll Rogers Walton (Twitter: @CarrollRogers)

LEGENDARY Clontzy’s Virginia Tech Tailgates

B

rad Clontz was a rookie sidearm reliever for the 1995 Atlanta Braves team that won the World Series. The name might not ring a lot of bells across Major League Baseball anymore, but “Clontzy’s” tailgate party is legendary in the parking lots at his alma mater, Virginia Tech.

The native of Stuart, Va. and 2011 baseball inductee to the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame has been tailgating at Hokies football games since he bought season tickets in 1998. That’s when he heard about a redshirt quarterback named Michael Vick, and

word on the street was he was going to change the face of Virginia Tech football.

Now entering his 20th season of tailgating, Clontz figures he’s missed only three or four home games total. All the while, his tailgate has evolved from a couple of 18-inch

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FANS&THRILLS televisions hooked up to a small amp in the back of his Cadillac Escalade to a portable party, complete with multiple tents, a 55inch flat screen TV and DJ turntables.

“Each year I would add something,” Clontz said. “We’d take maybe a jam box, then we’d buy a grill. Then I got smart and bought the generator. Then we started buying tents, then the flat screen TV, and then the satellite dish. We kept graduating every year. We would add a bigger tent, then we’d have three tents. Then I started adding a DJ setup, turntables, amplifiers, speakers. I’ve got 4,000 watts of speakers where it’s like a night club—if you want to turn it into a night club—or a day club, whatever you want to do.”

Clontz said they’ve got propane heaters for cold weather and tarps for when it rains.

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“There’s nothing we’re not prepared for,” he said.

When Clontz first started hosting his tailgate, he would drive six hours from his home in Atlanta to his parents’ house in Stuart, Va. on Friday, load up his Escalade with grills and other tailgating gear he kept in their garage, and wake at the crack of dawn Saturday to drive 55 miles to Blacksburg.

“I would show up at 7 o’clock in the morning,” Clontz said. “I don’t care if it was 20 degrees, whatever, I enjoy it that much with my friends. At least one buddy and I would set everything up. The rest of my clown friends, that just want to come hang out and enjoy it, roll into the tailgate at 11 o’clock, (saying) ‘Oh this is awesome, what a great setup.’”

Clontz said they usually have five or six

grills fired up, cooking everything from hamburgers and hotdogs, steaks and brats, to pork tenderloin. Friends might bring Bojangles or Chick-fil-A, which he augments with a crock pot of buffalo dip. They cook three times a day: in the morning, right before the game, and right after the game.

“It used to be me (cooking),” Clontz said.

“I’ve graduated now. I put in my 15 years.”

A buddy who lives closer to Blacksburg brings all the equipment now. So Clontz’s main job is DJing and hospitality, which is his strong suit.

Clontz, who retired from professional baseball in 2006, is an Atlanta-based host for MGM Grand, recruiting new business and helping existing clients book hasslefree casino trips. His gifts for networking and hospitality come in handy with Hokie football too.

“Clontzy’s” tailgate has become a regular stop for former Virginia Tech athletes, including Washington Redskins free safety DeAngelo Hall. Even some of the assistant football coaches, like defensive coordinator Bud Foster and defensive line coach Charley Wiles, used to stop by for a burger when Clontz’s tailgate was in the coaches’ parking lot.

Clontz is also friends with Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, who invited him to

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FANS&THRILLS play in the 2010 Chick-Fil-A Bowl Challenge, a charity golf tournament in Atlanta, after Beamer’s usual partner, Dell Curry, had a commitment broadcasting for the thenCharlotte Bobcats.

Clontz said their tailgate attracts maybe 30 to 40 people for an average ACC game.

“I’ve had days where I felt like the whole dadgum parking lot was there, when the

music gets cranking and ‘DJ Clontzy’ gets going,” he said.

Clontz has a suite on the 45-yard line at Lane Stadium, but one or two games a year, when the weather is nice and he doesn’t feel like locking up the equipment, he doesn’t even go into the stadium. He’d rather just hang out at his tailgate with some friends and watch the game on TV. “We’ve got speakers so loud it feels like you’re in the game,” Clontz said. “I love Virginia Tech football so much, when I’m there, I feel like I’m a part of it whether I’m inside or outside. It doesn’t really matter.”

Next in the evolution of the Clontz tailgate might be a customized RV. Clontz said he and his friends are thinking about going in on one together.

“Now we don’t have to get a hotel; we get to stay there,” Clontz said. “Now I may go up there on a Wednesday and stay for four or five days. I’d do it in a heartbeat. My friends would do it in a heartbeat. I would go play golf a couple days, maybe go watch Virginia Tech fall baseball practice or watch some Virginia Tech basketball, just hang around campus. If I’m not in Atlanta, I’d much rather be in Blacksburg every day of my life because it’s beautiful and the mountains, close to home, I can see my folks, other relatives and friends. That place made me who I am. If I wasn’t for Virginia Tech, I don’t know where I’d be.”

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FANS&THRILLS

by Carroll Rogers Walton (Twitter: @CarrollRogers)

THE

Tailgate Guys Changing College Football Tailgating

T

he “Tailgate Guys” are revolutionizing the way people tailgate for college football. If you haven’t heard of them, you will soon, because these masters of pre-game hospitality have found a foothold in college football and they’re only going to grow from here.

In a matter of nine years, the Auburn-based co-founders of Tailgate Guys have taken the simple business idea of eliminating the hassle of tailgating at their alma mater, Auburn, to another 13 major universities, including some of the biggest names in the business like Alabama, Florida, Penn State and Texas.

Tailgate Guys take care of everything from hauling gear from people’s cars and setting up tents to catering meals, providing multiple TVs and lounge furniture.

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FANS&THRILLS

“Somebody actually wanted fish that had to be flown in from Hawaii,” said Tailgate Guys co-founder Parker Duffey.

“That was in Texas. It was an oil company.

We don’t have much of that in Alabama.

The state of Alabama, not the university.”

He was careful not to upset his new clients in Tuscaloosa, whom he jokes haven’t quite accepted him yet as an Auburn graduate.

Parker Duffey

Ben Sutton

Michael Otwell

“Just have me quoted as saying ‘Roll Tide,’” Duffey said.

The Tailgate Guys’ biggest acquisition of late has been bringing Ben Sutton, the former president of sports media and marketing giant IMG College, into the fold.

Sutton joined them last year as an investor, business partner, and advisor.

In the process, Tailgate Guys have seen their yearly sales grow from $7 million to $17 million. They’ve acquired a competitor “Game Day Tents,” boosted their workforce to 110 full-time and another 200 part-time employees, and brought in 10 new schools for the 2017 season, including powerhouses Alabama, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech.

Think this thing doesn’t have traction?

Duffey came up with the idea 10 years ago after talking to a friend of a friend. He and his wife Melanie, now an interior design professor at Auburn, were hosting Melanie’s friend and her date for an Auburn game, when the guy leaned over the console in their car and explained a business he had started at the University of Alabama, hiring students to reserve tailgating spaces for fans.

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FANS&THRILLS

Duffey, 23 at the time, couldn’t get the concept out of his head. He was having a hard enough time adjusting to life after college. When he was an upperclassman in the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, pledges were responsible for setting up their football tailgate, complete with live entertainment, catered buffet and full bar. “(It’s like) the first guy that figured out, ‘Hey man, people don’t like carrying their beach chairs down to the beach, so I’m going to start this rental company,’” Duffey said. “You spend hours organizing, setting up and breaking down tailgates every game as a patron. If there’s a way (to)… get those hours back and spend them with the people that matter most, that’s a pretty big accomplishment, if you ask me.”

Duffey started crafting a business plan, based on partnering with a university and sharing in the profits. Within a week he

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ran the plan past Michael Otwell, a fellow Auburn graduate he’d met at a recent Halloween party. Otwell bought in, and within a year, they had both quit their jobs and started working out of an office in Duffey’s back bedroom. This was 2009.

“When I turned in my two weeks’ notice at my job about a month before football season started, one of the guys at the company was like, ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’” said Duffey, who’d been an assistant project manager for a commercial contractor.

That company—Bailey Harris Construction —is now a Tailgate Guys client. Their idea was a hit from the start.

The first school they partnered with, of course, was Auburn. Using two trucks, one they owned and one they borrowed, and seven or eight guys to help, they hosted 55 groups of 10 to 15 tailgaters apiece at Auburn’s 2009 opener against Louisiana Tech.

“It was perfect weather,” Duffey said.

“It had been hot all week, and the high was 88 that day….There’s this ledge at Auburn, where you can stand and look over the entire site that we had at the time. Stepping out and seeing people having a good time—that was one of the more rewarding days of my life… It was a special moment for Michael and me both to be able to put our stamp on something and see that, ‘Hey, this is going to work.’”

Now it’s impossible to take in all their Auburn tailgaters from any one vantage point. They’ve got to walk around campus to do that. Tailgate Guys will managed about 400 tailgate parties at Auburn’s opener this season, with anywhere from 75 to 100 people at each one.

“On any average game at Auburn, 40,000 will be under our supervision before the game, which is about half the people that go into that stadium,” Duffey said. “It’s quite the operation there.”

That’s a microcosm of how Tailgate Guys are taking off around college football.

In some cases, they’ve been met with resistance at first, when fans fear they represent a corporate takeover at the expense of deeply-rooted traditions. But when fans see the added convenience Tailgate Guys offer, for as little as $250 a game, they often change their minds.

“There’s certainly a place to maintain those traditions people have had for generations,” Duffey said. “That’s something that every campus we partner with aims to protect.

We carve out space to where if you want to have the convenience of what we do, you can select to do it. That’s what people saw. After that first game, they’re like, ‘Oh, my space is still here. I don’t have to do this.’ Since then it’s been accepted across the board.”

It didn’t take a whole lot of convincing to get Sutton on board either. Duffey first

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FANS&THRILLS

approached Sutton, who founded ISP Sports before selling it to IMG for $100 million, in baggage claim at the San Francisco airport. Duffey had recognized Sutton sitting in first class on their flight from Atlanta. (A friend had pointed him out once at a Duke-North Carolina basketball game.) With some urging from his wife, Duffey walked up to Sutton after he hung up his cell phone.

“I was sitting there thinking, ‘I wonder if this is one of those moments where if you don’t do this you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life,’” Duffey said. “I introduced myself, told him about our business and he knew who we were, which I was very flattered by. At that time we were still just on five campuses, going into our sixth.”

Sutton, who left IMG and started his own company, Teall Investments, e-mailed

Duffey several weeks later. While Duffey originally planned to pitch a position on their board, after several conversations Sutton agreed not only to a seat on the board but to invest in Tailgate Guys as a minority partner.

Between Sutton’s capital and influence, Duffey’s ideas and Otwell’s execution, Tailgate Guys are at a tipping point.

They have 10 offices around the country.

They serve 16 major colleges, the Atlanta Falcons, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, the Cotton Bowl, and the Barbasol Championship, a PGA tour stop in Opelika, Ala. Duffey envisions expanding not only to more college football programs around the country but into other sports as well, like tennis—he enjoys watching Wimbledon—and the Olympics.

Duffey has his eye on the Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028, and his dream is for Tailgate Guys to manage hospitality for every event there. As ambitious as that sounds, it might not be that far a reach.

Sutton sits on the board of trustees for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee foundation.

“I think that we really do have a path in front of us where we can take those steps and get there,” Duffey said.

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FANS&THRILLS

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by Carroll Rogers Walton (Twitter: @CarrollRogers)

H

ere are 10 places or events to put on your tailgating bucket list, including five you might not have thought of and five you probably have but might not have hit yet.

BEST THRILLS Add These to Your Bucket List!

Raider Nation Tailgate Party

But you better go fast. The Raiders’ lease with the Oakland Coliseum is up in two years and the team has gotten approval by the NFL to move to Las Vegas as early as 2019, or when their new stadium opens in 2020. Shiny and new are hardly words you associate with the “Black Hole,” the South end zone section where Raiders fans don face paint and metal spikes worthy of a Kiss concert, and strike a little fear and ferociousness into the game, not to mention their pre-game parties. We’re with Tom Hanks, a diehard Raiders fan, who said, “You cannot take the Silver and Black, put them in an air-conditioned dome in the desert, make them play on artificial turf within a stone’s throw of the fountains of Caesar’s Palace, and call them the Raiders.” So go share in some Raider revelry before they morph into something else.

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FANS&THRILLS

Baseball Hall of Fame Induction

This one might come from out of left field but shouldn’t it? Cooperstown, N.Y. is a little slice of baseball heaven, and it’s never more vibrant than when new Hall of Famers get their own piece of immortality. July in the foothills of the Catskills Mountains is downright pleasant. The legends parade down Main Street on Saturday gets you up close to baseball’s biggest stars. A visit to the Hall of Fame Museum is like taking a trip back in time, as is the whole weekend, really. Camping or RVing is probably easier than booking a hotel or bed & breakfast, especially in years with large induction classes. That just provides all the more impetus to get up early Sunday to reserve your space in the beautiful green pasture behind the Clark Sports Center for the ceremony.

NFL Draft

Three years ago, the league decided to take its NFL Draft on the road and outdoors after holing it up for 50 years in New York in places like Madison Square Garden. Fresh air, especially in April, has proven a much better alternative. More than 200,000 fans gave their approval two years ago, showing up over the three-day event in Chicago—its second year at Grant Park—and more than 100,000 lined Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia for the first round alone this past April.

It’s a great way to get a three-day fix of football in the offseason, meet a blend of fans from every team, and say you were there, when the next big star became a member of your team. The 2018 locale is still up for grabs, but Dallas and Philadelphia are front-runners.

Pocono Raceway

What’s not to love about the “tricky triangle?” Pocono may not be the biggest or most storied track in NASCAR but you’ve got to admire its uniqueness. Where else are you going to find “Long John,” the 1,000-stall toilet facility designed to eliminate the traditional sports nightmare—a bathroom line. According to the Pocono website, “We have no illusion of becoming the biggest, richest or the most famous racetrack in the world.

All we want is to be the prettiest, friendliest and cleanest, and to have fun along the way with all of our loyal fans these past 32 years.” The rebuild of 1990 brought the “Paddock” where fans come within 56 feet of the stock cars. Another cool thing is how green Pocono has gone. In 2010 Pocono became the largest solar-powered sports facility in the world after installing a 25-acre “solar farm,” which powers the racetrack and another 300 homes.

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FANS&THRILLS

Lambeau Field

Tailgating for a Green Bay Packers game is storied and special. People are friendly— even to opposing fans—and the beer and brats are second-to-none. Yes, there’s a good chance the weather will be cold too, maybe even frigid. But the Packers have built the new “Johnsonville Tailgate Village” which opened this summer, for any thinskinned visitors from the south or fans looking to tailgate without the hassle.

It’s 13,242 square feet of indoor space, complete with live music, Packer alumni autograph sessions, 35 plasma TVs and whatever else you need to get psyched up for the game. It’s also free admission for fans with or without game tickets.

Rolex 24 at Daytona

Anybody can tailgate a run-ofthe-mill NASCAR race and make a weekend of it. But what about tailgating for a race that lasts from sunrise one day until sunrise the next? 24 Hours of Daytona in January will test your tailgating will, your grocery list, not to mention how well you get along with your fellow tailgaters. This is not for the faint of heart—especially if you don’t have access to an RV—but part of the fun too. Daytona has readymade places for both RVs and tents. Sleeping some should be fair game, though not exactly easy with the roar of engines close by. The drivers get to tag team, so we think tailgaters should too. Just make sure everybody is up for the finish. How often do you get to cook breakfast on your grill?

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The Grove

Granted, it’s hard to find a bad tailgate in SEC Country, but The Grove is the one to beat.

And Ole Miss has actually had decent football in recent years to match its party scene. The Grove attracts some 100,000 fans each game to a sea of tents in a picturesque 10-acre on-campus setting beneath oak and maple trees. Oxford celebrates the charm of the Old South, with patrons in pearls and neckties, serving on silver platters and mingling beneath tent-adorning chandeliers. Ole Miss also prides itself on bringing in trailers for a state-of-the-art portable bathroom set-up that is also aptly-named: the Hotty Toddy Potties.

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FANS&THRILLS

Kentucky Derby

The most exciting two minutes in sports is preceded by one of the biggest parties in American sports. It’s tailgating without the car—unless you are like the diehards who tailgate in lots several miles away before taking the shuttle to Churchill Downs. The infield there has everything you need, food and drink venders, mint juleps and the best people-watching in sports, just for the women’s hats alone.

And where else is it downright fashionable to gamble? “The Run for the Roses”—the longest running sporting event in the U.S. dating back to 1875—is a must, as is the mint julep and at least an attempt at singing “My Old Kentucky Home.”

Clemson’s Death Valley

You almost have to see it to believe it, so we think you should. This quaint South Carolina town turns orange every home Saturday in the fall, with excitement growing every hour until the team bus unloads the Tigers at the top of the west end zone in “Death Valley” and players touch Howard’s Rock before running down the hill to ear-splitting roars from the crowd, a canon shot and about the 15th time you’ve heard “Tiger Rag” already. An orange city of some 100,000 people on game days turns Clemson, a town of 13,000, into a tailgating hotbed that, for many, lasts from sunrise Saturday until Sunday morning.

Bristol Motor Speedway

With its short track, steep banks, and 160,000-plus fans packed into the grandstands on the backstretch, Bristol brings pure racing excitement. Did we mention that it’s also loud? The welcoming atmosphere, good camping setup and convenient RV hook-ups make it tailgating-friendly as well. You get a taste of Tennessee in this border town and can still drive across the state line to next-door neighbor Bristol, Va. And where else are you going to see a race hauler parade of some 44 semi-trucks cruising down Highway 11? Talk about a little boy’s dream. It’s pretty cool for grown-ups and NASCAR fans too.

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