An American tradition

As I wandered about the stadium parking lot Saturday, I was struck by the sheer number of people who turned out for the tailgate.

It was a new experience for me, as I had never attended a football game, let alone a tailgate, before then (the sport has simply never appealed to me). It was much larger and more chaotic than what I expected; I surveyed the sea of crimson and cream and even saw a few wacky costumes like a girl in an afro wig, oversized sunglasses and neon-green knee-high socks.

The Saturday morning Student Alumni Association Kickoff at the Hoosier Village was a great success, with the Clayton Anderson Band serenading the large crowd with popular tunes like “Brown-Eyed Girl” and Johnny Cash’s  “Ring of Fire.”

When I asked revelers what they enjoyed most about tailgating, freshman students Kevin Schmalandt, Laura Olson and Holly Koski all agreed that it was the free food. As for why people tailgate, they responded that it was to “get pumped up for the game.”

Then came the more philosophical question, “Why is tailgating such an American tradition?”

They replied that “anything dealing with food and football is American.”

While I agreed with this in general, I decided to look for a deeper reason. I wanted to probe the American psyche to find if there was something unique about tailgating which appeals to Americans.

Before, I had imagined tailgates as smaller, quieter gatherings. Now I realized that they were vast celebrations where people would create an atmosphere before the game.

The weather was beautiful, with the vast blue skies gracing the day, and I roamed through the crush of both families and college partiers, to find out what psychological need tailgating fulfills in Americans.
 
I observed several groups playing cornhole (which I originally thought was a kind of food). As I prepared to leave the SAA picnic area, the band was encouraging more enthusiastic participation from the crowd in singing along to pep cheers.

As I wrapped up my quest to discover the magnetism tailgates hold for so many football fans, I encountered a family in one area in an idyllic setting: Two pre-teenage boys were tossing a football back and forth nearby as I stopped to quiz the family on the mystique of tailgates.

They told me that tailgates are a “good social gathering,” and that it is such an American tradition because “we have a lot of land and space.” They joked that while they were in the “family section” of the tailgate, they believed that a good tailgate simply needs “one sucker to bring everything, and everyone else to show up.” It also sounded to me like the recipe for a good party.
 
I left the tailgate feeling pumped, even though I wasn’t headed to the game against Western Kentucky; as a soccer fan, I have always wondered whether football could be as exciting as soccer, but left convinced that a tailgate can get anyone into the spirit of football. Tailgates are enjoyable because they’re like picnics, and it’s in human nature to appreciate socializing outdoors with food, drink and the anticipation of an exciting sports event.

I left amid a great pack of young IU fans, some exposing their muscled physiques, some with very short shorts, spilling out of SUVs and drinking. One young man stood atop his vehicle, waving at those below him, while another fan’s flaming-red wig caught my eye.

The appeal of tailgates had by now become clear to me, as I felt the adrenaline rush that anyone who even mildly enjoys sports gets before a game; in the midst of the crowd’s excitement, I was sure that the sense of camaraderie in the support of IU football was also a big attraction for people. I smiled at the back of one girl’s shirt which read, “I get up earlier to tailgate than I do for class.”   
 
After my curiosity about tailgates was satisfied, I walked away still feeling out of my element, but proud that I gave this American tradition a chance. The desire to be part of a group is universal, and for some, tailgates prove to be good for the soul, as well as the stomach.