Tailgating is a social event that many sports fans enjoy because they are passionate about their teams. Tailgate parties are held in various locations, such as sports facilities, parking lots, and stadiums, where participants can watch their teams compete. Sports fans form groups and become wholly devoted to their teams, attending every game (Stansfield et al. 41). The fan group (Cheddarhead Pack of Huston North- CHPH North) in which I participate for the Green Bay Packers NFL team based in Huston will serve as the study’s focus group, with members shall be interviewed for the study. We meet at a sports bar to watch the games throughout the season as one of our Wisconsin traditions (Food: Cheddar & Pepper Bratwursts, Cheese Curds. Go Pack Go chants heard at Lambeau Field). This study investigates the fundamental intent that drives NFL football tailgating rituals and the impact that these motivating factors have on ritual devotion. An ethnographic study employs participant observation, discussions, and systematic personal interviews. The findings suggest that four fundamental underlying motives and their existence are responsible for the tailgating ritual’s continuation: active participation, human engagement, inter-temporal sentiment, and self-representation.
The Green Bay Packers, also known as The Packers, have a long history since 1919. Despite its origins in Green Bay, it has a large following throughout the United States due to its rich history (Kass). Brannon, a Huston city lawyer and member of our Cheddarhead Pack of Huston North, has been a fan of the team since his father was a fan back in the ’90s. He, like many other members of the group, shares this sentiment. As a result, most fans’ attachment to the team can be traced back to most of their parents or older siblings being fans of the team. The social activities associated with fun that fans enjoy serve as a motivator for members to show their loyalty to the team by attending or watching all of the team’s matches.
Devoted members show their love and loyalty to the team and group differently. All members of the CHPH North, for example, have purchased merchandise from The Packers Shop, which includes Packers Jerseys, beanies, hoodies, jackets, and hats. Wearing a team outfit while tailgating is one of our traditions. Members feel more connected to the team while tailgating in team attire (Drenten et al. 92). Because, in most cases, we will not be able to attend live games at the stadium. After all, Huston is about a nineteen-hour drive away. Loyal tailgaters like Jennie come in handy when she prepares the cheddar cheese and green pepper bratwurst for the members, which she serves in her sports bar where we gather to watch the games while tailgating. Admitting to wanting to prepare this traditional Wisconsin delicacy because the only way Jennie knows how to stay connected to the Green Bay Packers is to serve its fans in order for them to remain loyal to the team. True to her words, none of us members miss out on the delicacy she prepares for us, and we are dedicated to the team and group.
Most group members buy new outfits from The Packers Shop at the start of each season. Because of our tradition of wearing Packers merchandise, the action sets the primary preparation for tailgating (Bradford and Sherry 780). Another aspect of preparation is determining when the Green Bay Packers’ games will be played. It is critical to have this information because all tailgating activities coincide with the day the team plays its live matches. Many members, as a result, organize their calendars to create a free day on the specific day the match is to be played; tailgating is a ritual that members are devoted to following at all costs. Mark, a dentist, and member of the group, boast that he has seen more than 80% of the games played since he began tailgating 23 years ago.
Even though most CHPH North members began tailgating by attending social events with their parents or older siblings, more than half attended tailgate parties with their friends and co-workers. When interviewed, the majority stated that they prefer to attend events with their friends and co-workers rather than their family because they are close to them and share similar interests. They argue that it is easy to relate with peers because not everyone understands what tailgating is all about. It has been associated with disorderly conduct, a harsh judgment on the members because of their loyalty to their teams and its enjoyment (Jones). As a result, they believe that friends and co-workers are the best people to consider while tailgating. It is worth noting that many members agree that when their children become adults, they should be introduced to tailgate parties in the same way that some of their parents introduced them.
Tailgating is a complex subject that sports critics may not understand, but it is a “religion” to sports fans. It enables sports fans to connect with their teams in various ways and remain loyal to their teams despite their challenges (Fellman). The responses from CHPH North tailgate members shed light on the motivations that drive fans to tailgate religiously, such as the desire for human engagement because tailgating is a social event filled with lots of fun. The inter-temporal sentiment, active participation of members, and desire for self-representation demonstrate why tailgating parties will be around for a much longer time.
Works Cited
Bradford, Tonya Williams, and John F. Sherry.“Grooving in the Ludic Foodscape: Bridled Revelry in Collegiate Tailgating.”Journal of Consumer Culture, vol. 17, no. 3, 2016, pp. 774–793. Web.
Drenten, Jenna, Peters Cara, Leigh Thomas and Hollenbeck Candice. “Not Just a Party in the Parking lot: An Exploratory Investigation of The Motives Underlying The Ritual Commitment Of Football Tailgaters.” Sport Marketing Quarterly 18.2 (2009): 92-106.
Fellman, Connie. “Past to Present: The History of Tailgating.” WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton, WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton, 2021, Web.
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Kass, Mark. “Packers Lay Claim to Tailgating Tradition.”Sports Business Journal, Web.
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