The Tailgate Connect® Podcast — College Football, NFL & The Game Day Life

Most people bring a cooler and some chairs. Lee brings inflatable houses, giant LED TVs, custom games, and Super Bowl ticket giveaways. The founder of the Tailgate Party Committee spent years as a high school counselor before deciding the parking lot was calling — and he answered by building one of the most over-the-top tailgating operations in the country.Lee joins Luke to walk through how a counselor's instinct for reading people and defusing conflict turned out to be the exact skill set a traveling nationwide tailgate empire needed. From coast to coast, in snow and heat, at NFL and college stadiums, Lee has turned the pregame into the main event.What we cover: From high school counselor to nationwide tailgate operator — the full origin story · Inflatable houses, giant LED TVs, and custom games at every stop · The High Five and Fist Pump cam that gets entire stadiums involved · Super Bowl ticket giveaways and how the logistics actually work · Why local food and culture are non-negotiable at every city · How a counseling background helps keep the peace at 500-person tailgates · What's next for the Tailgate Party CommitteeFollow Lee → @TailgatePartyCommittee on all socials Find tailgate events near you → tailgateconnect.com

He coaches first base in a floppy hat, short shorts, white Nikes, and a six-pack beer belt — while running a lit grill. Meet Coach Bart, the utility man of the Texas Tailgators, and the most authentically tailgate human being in professional sports.Andrew "Coach Bart" Bartman spent 12 years coaching college baseball, two years running the world's biggest baseball coaches convention, and six years as USA Baseball's Director of Coaching Development before landing exactly where he was always meant to be: grilling hamburgers at first base in front of thousands of screaming fans while simultaneously coaching base runners, assigning umpires, and running youth camps.This episode goes deep on what it's actually like to be part of the Banana Ball world — the pregame tailgates sponsored by HEB, the custom Coach Bart smoker that travels city to city, the 4.2 million people on the ticket waitlist, what the TV deal with ESPN and ABC looks like, the foster family visits with gift cards and no cameras, and why the "Get To" mindset changes everything.What we cover: How Coach Bart went from USA Baseball to cooking at first base · The floppy hat, short shorts, and beer belt origin story · The HEB sponsorship and pregame tailgates at Texas games · A lit grill at first base — Jesse Cole's actual instructions · 4.2 million on the ticket waitlist and how the K Club works · Every Banana Ball game is free on YouTube, always · Banana Ball on ESPN, truTV, CW, and a primetime ABC slot · Foster family gift basket visits — no cameras, no PR · The custom Coach Bart smoker with hot dog dampers · Favorite tailgate food: ribeye, olive oil, butter, Kinder's SPG · Favorite drink: Natty Light, no apologies · Dream tailgate guest: John Kruk

Cornhole started as a backyard game people played at tailgates. Today it's on ESPN, it's paying six-figure salaries, and it's pushing for the Olympics. Athena Delgado, National Director of Player Engagement for the American Cornhole League, joins Luke to explain how that happened — and why cornhole and tailgating will be inseparable for generations to come.Luke and Athena have history — they judged a cornhole trick shot competition on ESPN's The Ocho, then teamed up for the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl tailgating challenge in Tucson. In this episode they break down the full rise of the ACL, what professional cornhole actually looks like, how to get involved at any level, and why 80% of tailgaters name cornhole as their favorite game.What we cover: How cornhole became a professional sport on ESPN · The Olympic push and what it means for the game · ACL pro player salaries and the competitive circuit · The tailgating challenge competition at the Arizona Bowl · How to join the ACL and start competing · The cornhole app and where to find tournaments

If you've ever wondered what it looks like when someone takes their love for a team to a completely different level — this is that episode. Kendrick, known as Official Ken, is the LSU superfan whose reaction videos have hit 1.2 million views in two days, earned shoutouts from Shaq, Ryan Clark, and Marcus Spear, and made Tiger Nation feel like the loudest community in college football.Luke and Kendrick break down what it's like to tailgate at LSU's Death Valley night games, why the pregame atmosphere in Baton Rouge is unlike anywhere else in the SEC, the food that makes LSU game day legendary, and how Kendrick went from crying in his room after a loss to building one of the most genuine fan channels on social media.What we cover: What makes Death Valley night games the wildest tailgate in CFB · The 1.2M view reaction video and how it happened in two days · Cajun food culture at LSU tailgates — jambalaya, gumbo, and more · How Kendrick built his social following through pure energy and authenticity · Shaq, Ryan Clark, Marcus Spear, and Benny Brazil showing love · Why LSU followed him on Instagram (manifestation incoming)

He started making cornhole boards in his garage at 16. Today his company runs more tailgate events than anyone else on Earth — 350 planned for the next year across 15+ NFL cities, 9 college markets, and every major soccer venue hosting World Cup matches in 2026.John Mikulec, founder of Gameday Hospitality, is the rare operator who's scaled a passion into a genuine industry force without losing the core of what makes a tailgate great. He joins Luke for the longest episode in TGC podcast history to tell the full story — from the early days to the Super Bowl, from Buffalo to Ann Arbor, and everywhere in between.What we cover: How Gameday Hospitality grew from cornhole boards to 350 events a year · 13 NFL cities, 9 colleges, and World Cup 2026 goal zones · What it takes to operate tailgates in multiple markets simultaneously · The business of premium hospitality vs traditional tailgating · Bills Mafia culture and what makes Buffalo different · Lessons from nearly a decade in the tailgate industry

She's the first female tailgating host to appear on the Tailgate Connect Podcast, and she's been running one of Louisville's most beloved tailgates for nearly 20 years. Rensha, co-host of Tailgaters U, joins Luke to talk about what it looks like when a tailgate becomes a full community — complete with bake-offs, dip-offs, bourbon tastings, Papa Murphy's pizza on-site, and a chant that makes the whole parking lot lose its mind.Tailgaters U has been a staple of Louisville Cardinals football since 2006, and Rensha brings the same energy to every home game. This episode covers the origin of the "Tailgaters U" name (it's a quarterback university pun — and a promise), what newcomers can expect, how to pitch Lamar Jackson to come to your tailgate, and the bonfire failgating incident nobody will ever let go.What we cover: Why female tailgating hosts are underrepresented and what Rensha is doing about it · The Tailgaters U origin story and the QB University connection · Bake-offs, dip-offs, bourbon tastings, and why Louisville does it different · The "You Don't Want These Cards" song and the chant everyone needs to know · Pitching Lamar Jackson in 15 seconds · The bonfire failgating moment that created new safety rules

He's been tailgating for over 45 years, drives three hours from St. Louis to every Kansas City Chiefs home game, and holds what he calls "the Rod Rate" at the same hotel for 15 years straight. Some people call him the grandpa of tailgating. Rod, known as Tailgating With Rod, calls it a state of life.Rod joins Luke to talk 45 years of game day obsession — from his first Indy 500 in the 1970s to the KC Chiefs dynasty era, from the homemade porta potty to the legendary brat recipe and the stuffing burger bun that will change how you think about tailgate food forever. This episode is a masterclass in game day hospitality from someone who has been doing it longer than most people have been watching football.What we cover: 45 years of tailgating — from the Indy 500 to Arrowhead · Driving 3 hours from St. Louis to every Chiefs home game · The Doubleheader — Missouri on Saturday, Chiefs on Sunday · The homemade porta potty (you need to hear this) · Rod's legendary brat recipe and drink concoctions · The stuffing burger bun — freeze it, grill it, use it as a bun · Crown shades giveaways and giving back to fans

He had Bullet bourbon in his cup before the recording started, and it only got better from there. Stephen Garcia, former South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback and one of the most memorable players in the Steve Spurrier era, joins Luke for an unfiltered look at tailgating through the eyes of a player who lived it from the inside.Stephen talks about what game day felt like as a player vs as a fan, why tailgating equates to the locker room for him, the UCF game day scene that shocked him, his honest take on NIL and how it changes the college football culture he knew, and his own podcast Tailgate Talks with former teammate Pat DeMarco. Note: This episode contains explicit language.What we cover: How tailgating feels like a locker room from a player's perspective · UCF vs SEC tailgate culture — and the differences are wild · The 2010 win over #1 Alabama — what it was actually like · Steve Spurrier stories and coaching insight · NIL thoughts from someone who played in the era before · Tailgate Talks podcast with Pat DeMarco

He played defensive back at Texas Tech in the 1980s — including a game against Michael Irvin's Miami, where Irvin told him he was one of the toughest white kids he'd ever played against. Now Chris Evans is back in Lubbock running the Matador Mafia, a 13-year tailgating institution that has become one of the best game day experiences in the Big 12.Chris joins Luke to talk about why he turned down USC and Miami to play at Tech, how the Matador Mafia name came from a real Italian connection in his California hometown, the actual mafia member who visited his tailgate, and what makes Texas Tech's game day one of the most underrated experiences in college football.What we cover: Playing for Texas Tech in the 1980s — and facing Michael Irvin · How Matador Mafia got its name (there was a real mafia connection) · 13 years building one of the best tailgates in the Big 12 · What Game Day's visit to Texas Tech said about the program · Why visiting fans love the Lubbock experience · Patrick Mahomes and Michael Crabtree — the dream tailgate guests

Lobster tacos. A DJ. 50/50 raffles. Multiple TVs. And more passion for game day food than most chefs put into a restaurant service. Rick with SoFire Tailgating is not a casual tailgater — he's the guy who shows up at SoFi Stadium and turns the parking lot into an experience that makes other tailgates feel like an afterthought.Rick joins Luke to talk about how he fell in love with the LA Rams as a teenager, why SoFi Stadium's first fan season in 2021 sparked SoFire into existence, and what makes his game day setup one of the most talked-about in the NFL. The lobster taco conversation alone is worth the listen.What we cover: How SoFire Tailgating started at SoFi Stadium's first fan season · Why lobster tacos belong at a tailgate (and how he makes them) · The full setup — DJ, TVs, 50/50 raffles, lounge area · Cooper Cup's mom showing up at the tailgate · Favorite drink: Uncle Nearest Tennessee whiskey on ice · Favorite beer: stout, always, even in 98-degree heat · Dream tailgate guest: Matt Stafford

He launched his tailgating company in January 2020, picked up his first trailer on March 15th, and COVID shut everything down two days later. Most people would have quit. Wayne Verschuere spent those months setting up his tailgate rig on beaches, in parks, and in his housing community — inviting anyone who'd come — until the world reopened and Tailgate Pro Entertainment exploded.From 4 events in 2020 to 315 events in a single year. From parking lots in Tampa to Gasparilla Bowl alongside ESPN. Wayne, a Marine Corps veteran and self-described "life of the party," joins Luke to tell the full origin story — and explain why Mike Alstott has an open invitation to any Tailgate Pro event, forever.What we cover: Launching a business in January 2020 — and what happened next · Using COVID to build the brand before anyone was watching · Growing from 4 events to 315 in a single year · Doing every Bucs home game, every Gator game, NFL and bowl events · The ESPN partnership and the Gasparilla Bowl · What it takes to run great tailgates across multiple markets · Mike Alstott's open invitation

There is literally a professor of tailgating. Dr. Andy Gillentine has spent 30 years at the University of South Carolina investigating the phenomenon of tailgating — what drives people to sit in a 105-degree parking lot in August, what the legal and economic implications are, and how universities can make game day safer and better. He turned all of it into the first honors class on tailgating ever offered at a major university.Dr. Andy joins Luke to break down what the class actually covers, what the research has revealed about why we tailgate, which yard games his students designed as a business project, and who he'd most want to tailgate with from Gamecocks history (the answer involves Steve Spurrier and a lot of bourbon stories).What we cover: 30 years studying tailgating at the University of South Carolina · The honors class curriculum — history, law, marketing, economics, food, and games · Why people sit in 105-degree heat before a football game (the sociology of tailgating) · Yard game innovation assignments and what students came up with · Local beer philosophy: always go for the lager · Favorite game: cornhole, but the Can Jam and ring-hook are underrated · Dream tailgate guests: Stephen Garcia and Coach Beamer

In this episode of the Tailgate Connect podcast, host Luke Lorick welcomes Baylor tailgating hosts Ryan and Matt to discuss their passion for tailgating, the evolution of their tailgating experience, and the community they have built around it. They share insights on creating a welcoming atmosphere for fans, the importance of good food and drinks, and their experiences with rival fans. The conversation also touches on family-friendly tailgating, memorable moments, and tips for staying cool during hot game days. Ryan and Matt invite listeners to join their tailgate, emphasizing the fun and camaraderie that tailgating brings to the college football experience.

The Big House holds 107,000 people. Ann Arbor becomes one of the largest cities in Michigan on game day. And Spot 9 Tailgate has been hosting in the shadow of it all since 2007 — named after a parking spot they refused to give up even when the lot reassigned them to spot 14.Joey Mortiere, owner of Spot 9 Tailgate, joins Luke to talk about growing up going to Michigan games as a kid, how the tailgate evolved from a one-tent setup to a full trailer with two 60-inch TVs and a roof deck, and what it actually means to host fans from Fresno State, USC, and everywhere in between at the most famous stadium in America. Plus: the time Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons showed up, and Eli Manning's undercover Chad Powers moment in between tailgates. Note: This episode contains explicit language.What we cover: The origin of the Spot 9 name (they stole the sign back) · Growing up going to Michigan games — the dad with the Smoky Joe · The full Spot 9 setup — trailer, 60-inch TVs, roof deck, scratch food · Why Ann Arbor is a special tailgate destination · Hosting guests from all over the country through Tailgate Connect · When Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons visited · The Eli Manning / Chad Powers moment

He pitched QB54 on Shark Tank. He's in over 200 Dick's Sporting Goods stores. Michael Strahan has played it. And it took him eight years to become an overnight success — all while running the business out of his house in New Jersey with his family.Mike Silva, creator of QB54, joins Luke to tell the full story behind the game that turns two tailgate chairs into a full football experience — completions, touchdowns, interceptions, and all. He goes behind the scenes of the Shark Tank experience, talks about what it took to get from idea to national retail, and shares exactly why Tom Brady would lose to him in a game of QB54.What we cover: What QB54 is and how it turns tailgate chairs into a football game · The Shark Tank experience and what really happened behind the scenes · 8 years to get to Dick's Sporting Goods and Steve Harvey's Thunderdome · Michael Strahan playing the game · The Jets/Bills parking lot incident that became video gold · Why an overnight success takes 8-9 years · Dream retail placement: Costco · Dream opponent: Tom Brady (Mike wins, no question)

It started in 1998 with Ricky Williams's Heisman run, a guy selling bootleg t-shirts in a parking lot, and two college kids who thought: we should make a tailgate to sell our own shirts. Twenty-five years later, Hornball Tailgaters is one of the most established tailgating institutions at the University of Texas — and Ryan Lepper has the stories to prove it.Ryan joins Luke to walk through the full 25-year evolution of Hornball, how the tailgate survived and grew through COVID, what it looks like to host hundreds of guests through Tailgate Connect, and why Austin's tailgate scene is more than just the Longhorns — it's a culture.What we cover: 25 years of Hornball — the full origin story · How it started: bootleg t-shirts, Ricky Williams, and a parking lot epiphany · Growing through COVID and coming out stronger · Hosting guests from Fresno State, USC, and across the country · What makes Austin and UT's tailgate scene unique in the Big 12 · Dream tailgate guest: Alex Smith (and his wife's famous photo) · Post Malone officially invited to Hornball Tailgaters

The number 409 means one thing at Penn State: it was Joe Paterno's win total, and it stands for success with honor. Andrew Goldberg built his tailgate around that idea in 2016 — and 409 Tailgate Club has been a Happy Valley institution ever since. Crab cakes. Pulled pork nachos. Bloody Mary mix. A fireball girl. And a Bloody Mary sauce company called GoldHen that started as a tailgate tradition.Andrew joins Luke to talk about what makes Penn State one of the top three tailgate destinations in college football, the time Saquon Barkley, Micah Parsons, and Allen Robinson showed up at the tailgate at the same time, and the infamous Eli Manning / Chad Powers moment that happened right next to his setup.What we cover: The 409 number and its meaning at Penn State · Building 409 Tailgate Club from a passion project to a brand · Crab cakes and pulled pork nachos as the signature dishes · GoldHen Bloody Mary mix — use code TGC for 10% off · The time Saquon, Micah Parsons, and Allen Robinson showed up · Eli Manning's Chad Powers visit right next to the tailgate · What makes Happy Valley different from Philly (completely opposite vibe) · The Grove at Ole Miss — Andrew's favorite tailgate outside PSU

Most people don't think of Utah when they think of tailgating. That's exactly the problem Ryan Lufkin is fixing — one spectacular tailgate at the base of the Wasatch Mountains at a time. The Utah Pig Bus has been one of the most distinctive tailgate setups in the Mountain West for years, with scratch food, a dedicated fan community, and one of the most underrated game day atmospheres in college football.Ryan joins Luke to talk about tailgating assumptions vs tailgating reality in Salt Lake City, the evolution from a parking lot setup to a full traveling operation, and his best attempts to get Post Malone — a self-proclaimed Utah resident who once wore a University of Utah hat — to finally come to a tailgate.What we cover: Why Utah tailgating surprises everyone who visits · The Utah Pig Bus origin story and the full setup · What it means to host fans from across the country in SLC · The view of the Wasatch Mountains from Gardensman lot · Post Malone's open invitation (he lives there, he has the hat) · Alex Smith and his wife's famous photo at Fan Fest · Dream guest: Post Malone (the manifesting is real)

She's a former television news anchor, the mother of five kids who prefer Taco Bell over her cooking (her words), and one of the most practical voices in tailgate food strategy. Shanisty Ireland joins Luke to give both home gaters and stadium tailgaters the tips they actually need — including the most underrated advice in all of tailgate food: ask your guests to bring something.Shanisty covers everything from make-ahead meals (mac and cheese casserole frozen weeks in advance), to why handhelds always win at the tailgate, to the argument for tailgating at any sport — Masters, baseball, whatever gets people together. She's a Bears fan, an Alabama fan, and a Kentucky basketball fan who lives in Columbus, Ohio, which she acknowledges makes no sense.What we cover: Home gating vs tailgating — what changes and what doesn't · The make-ahead strategy: mac and cheese casserole weeks in advance · Why handhelds, dips, and wings always win at a tailgate · The "ask guests to bring something" tip that hosts always skip · What sport makes the best tailgate besides football · Why you can't lose a tailgate if you do it right · Favorite tailgate visit: Alabama is at the top of the list

Three million people are on the waitlist. The K-Club is the only way to guarantee your spot. And Brett Loftis is the 24-year-old broadcast entertainer who gets to be in the middle of it all — as the voice and energy of the Texas Tailgaters in Banana Ball's first year of having a full six-team league.Brett joins Luke to break down what the Texas Tailgaters are, what Banana Ball looks like to someone who's never seen it, how a kid from the Carolinas auditioned in a cowboy hat, and what it feels like to be part of an organization that had more people on its waitlist than most US states have residents.What we cover: What are the Texas Tailgaters and where do they fit in Banana Ball · What Banana Ball looks like to a first-time viewer · How Brett got the job — audition tape and a cowboy hat · The Texas Tailgaters' first-year identity and what sets them apart · How to get tickets (3M waitlist, K-Club is the move) · The K-Club name explained (potassium on the periodic table is K) · Brett's vision for what Banana Ball becomes

He started hosting tailgates because he wanted to throw a party in a parking lot. Three years later, The Experience with Buckeye Mobile Entertainment is one of the most distinctive tailgating setups near the Schottenstein Center — with a live DJ, axe throwing, a private restroom on the tailgate trailer, and 60-115 fans showing up every home game ready to go from eight in the morning.Maurice joins Luke to talk about what it took to build from year one, how hosting at Ohio State is different from any other market, the European guests who showed up through Tailgate Connect and loved every second of it, and why noon kickoffs are the villain of the tailgate world.What we cover: Starting a tailgate business from scratch — what the first years taught him · Live DJ, axe throwing, and what sets The Experience apart · 60-70 guests per game with a peak of 115 for the Michigan game · European fans through Tailgate Connect who loved the chili-and-dressing spread · Tailgate trailer with a private bathroom (no porta potty lines) · 10-minute walk to Ohio Stadium — the best location near the Shoe · Why noon kickoffs are hard on everyone involved

19 years ago, Craig Renfro and his wife sat down and brainstormed what they liked to do. The answers: drink beer, cook on a grill, watch sports. They searched for any media covering it and found nothing. So they started Tailgater Magazine — the only tailgating magazine that exists — out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and have been publishing it ever since.Craig joins Luke to talk about over a thousand college and professional events attended in his lifetime, what it takes to build a media brand in the tailgating space, how COVID nearly shut everything down but didn't, why LSU fans are the best and worst simultaneously, and what the world would look like if it operated the way a parking lot does before a game.What we cover: 19 years of Tailgater Magazine — how it started and how it survived · The search for tailgating media that didn't exist · Attending 1000+ sports events: Rangers, NASCAR, NFL, college · The LSU tailgate experience — the best food and the funniest crowd shift · How COVID hit the magazine and how they recovered · Why 13 years of Tailgating Challenge and 19 of Tailgater Magazine are more similar than different · What the world would look like if it operated like a tailgate parking lot

In 2022, Ben Chase loaded up a Dodge Grand Caravan named Betty White, quit his job, and set out to attend as many college football games as possible in a single season. He hit 77 games in 135 days, drove through all 48 continental US states, and took 70 kids to a game in Tampa after connecting with a USF athletic director on the road. Guinness wouldn't officially track it. He doesn't care.Ben joins Luke to talk about what possessed him to do it, how Betty White blew her transmission at game 36 and he just kept going on a rental car, the best tailgates he found across the country, and why the Great American Road Trip is dying — and college football is one of the best reasons to bring it back.What we cover: 77 games in 135 days — the full journey · All 48 continental states on one road trip · Betty White the Dodge Grand Caravan — and the transmission story · Taking 70 kids to a USF game through a connection on the road · The best tailgate scenes Ben found across the country · Bacon-wrapped gator bites and regional tailgate food traditions · Why the Great American Road Trip is dying and why it matters · Ticket surge pricing and when to buy

It started at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Penn State was playing USC. Dan Donnelly had a tent set up, music going, grills running, and games happening — while a group of Penn State fans wandered past in what he calls "a nomadic state," 24-packs on their shoulders, looking for somewhere to belong. He invited them in. They had the best time. And on the drive home to Northern California, the business model clicked.Dan Donnelly, founder of Tailgate Connect, joins host Luke Lorick for the very first episode of the Tailgate Connect Podcast. He walks through the origin story — from his blog "Dan from the Tailgate" (started in 2008) to the quest to attend every Division I stadium, to incorporating the business in 2017, to building the platform to 40+ college markets and 24 NFL markets. This is where it all started.What we cover: The Rose Bowl origin story that sparked the business idea · "Dan from the Tailgate" — writing a blog about every stadium since 2008 · Why the 19 new Division I schools keep moving the goalposts · The Airbnb slash dating app model for tailgating · 40+ college markets and 24 NFL markets (and growing) · Why tailgating equals more friends (it's a proven formula) · The IPA debate with Luke (spoiler: Dan secretly drinks one)

Welcome to The Tailgate Connect® Podcast! At Tailgate Connect®, our passion is tailgating with the world and our mission is to share that passion with the world. With that, we're THRILLED to announce the launch of our new podcast, The Tailgate Connect® Podcast. We'll be coming to you weekly with interviews from legendary tailgating figures and our awesome hosts, maybe a story about tailgate myths gone by, or just our team breaking down what the season looks like from inside the Tailgate Connect® machine. Either way, The Tailgate Connect® Podcast is your newest source for everything CFB and tailgating.