Every Coach Says preparation Is Key
Burgers? Check. Jerseys? Check. Tent? Double Check. Getting ready for game day is a tradition that has been handed down through generations. It’s your favorite time of the year! A time to celebrate friendship and family. A time to set aside personal differences and unite to cheer on the team you have been supporting since you were little. At the end of the day, designing the best tailgate comes down to personal choice. But we aren’t going to lie, there is a science to optimizing your space to create something that is both practical and creative. A set-up that will make all your game day buddies proud that you took the reigns in designing a great tailgate space!
So now that we have established the importance of tailgating (not that you needed any refreshers) J&J is here to take the stress out of tailgating and to share with you our top secret game day wisdom.
Sit back, relax and leave it to the experts. This is how you do it! Here are our “keys” to unlocking the secrets to a perfect tailgate.
Key #1: Know your Audience’s Needs
Who is vegan? Who is vegetarian? Sure, game day usually calls for the traditional burger and hot dog combo but you want to make sure that you provide food and drink that everyone can enjoy. Another part of anticipating your audience’s needs are making sure that you have enough space for everyone. This includes renting chairs for anyone who might have trouble standing for long periods of time and also for people that want to sit while eating their game day snacks. Another important thing to remember is that even though the weather is getting colder around Football season, ensure that you bring a lot of water to keep your guests hydrated!
Key #2: Organization and Optimization
A big part of setting up the perfect tailgate is optimizing and organizing your space. Keep things in a logical order to make things easy for your guests to find. For example, keep your beverages and food in one area and make sure that you invest in coolers for anything that might need refrigeration. Have enough napkins, plates, and silverware for all of your guests. Keep track of any rentals that you have purchased and make sure that you have enough of them to go around. Invest in an external stereo or in a car radio to keep the party going! This also ties back to knowing your audience and coming up with a fun playlist that everyone can enjoy. Additionally, you want to also make sure that your guests are entertained. Investing in fun games such as cornhole is a great way to do this and organizing your space based on whatever games you provide can also be beneficial to optimizing your space.
Key #3: Preparing Ahead For All Possible Scenarios
Is there any chance of rain? How many people are you inviting to the tailgate? How many of them have RSVPed? All of these questions are important when anticipating possible scenarios that could impact your tailgating experience. For instance, if there are a lot of people that are going to come to the tailgate, think about investing in more than one tent to accommodate everyone. If you have checked the weather ahead of time and there is a chance that it will rain, come prepared with umbrellas and raincoats and let your guests know so they can do the same. It is vital to anticipate every possible scenario before it has occurred to ensure that you are prepared for whatever curveball game day throws at you (no pun intended).
What Now?
We’ve given you the keys to taking advantage of the space that you need to make gameday perfect and tailgating a breeze. It is up to you to take this wisdom and customize it to your needs to optimize your space. Just remember that J&J is here to help you with this! We know the importance of tailgating and we would be honored to be a part of your tailgating tradition.
We understand that the best part of tailgating is keeping up the tradition of supporting your local college football team. Call us today at (919)977-3691 so that we can make your tailgating event run more smoothly and give you plenty of time to enjoy the Game Day Fun.
