Tailgating Ideas

This is a guest post written by the team at Majestic Realty and Los Angeles Stadium. Despite not having an NFL team that calls Los Angeles home, two stadium projects are in the works, both vying for an NFL team to commit to relocating to Los Angeles or the NFL granting an expansion franchise. We have chosen to publish this guest post expanding on the benefits and vision of the LA Stadium because it is our opinion that after examining both projects, that LA Stadium is in the best position to meet the needs, wants and expectations of tailgaters. As an advocate supporting tailgaters and promoting the tailgate party lifestyle, it is our opinion that the creators and project managers of LA Stadium share the same passion and respect for tailgating as we do. We would encourage you to read on knowing that this was written by the team at Majestic Realty and Los Angeles Stadium but we agree with all that is said.

LOS ANGELES STADIUM

INSPIRED BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA…DESIGNED FOR THE NFL

As football fans prepare for Super Bowl XLVI, the team at Majestic Realty is preparing the next great sports destination in Southern California, Los Angeles Stadium.

Los Angeles Stadium is our vision for the future of the NFL in our region. Shovel ready, we maintain a philosophy that our final product should draw from two key principles:

1. Football is a fundamentally different experience for fans than other sports.
2. We must capture the Southern California Lifestyle.

With those two principles in mind and a 600-acre blank canvas, we are designing what will become the greatest football experience in NFL history.

FOOTBALL ISN’T FOOTBALL UNLESS YOU CAN TAILGATE

Like most fans, we believe that football isn’t football unless you can tailgate. Football is the only sport where each week the pregame and post-game is just as important as what takes place on the field. We understand this philosophy and take it to heart. This is why we believe our location is the best for the NFL and offers the league and the future team no compromises. We have no compromises on parking, tailgating, traffic woes, retail destinations and other amenities for the fans.

Our location allows us to draw from four counties and over 15.5 million fans and is based on the top stadium models in the NFL like Dallas, New England, Miami, Washington and other areas. Because of our location, you won’t have to fight traffic and you won’t have to search for parking.

(Also a unique and strategic part of our stadium design is we will build in a way that prevents car and pedestrian traffic from intersecting. This big thing is often overlooked but will drastically reduce the amount of traffic issues.)

600 ACRES!!! OPEN SPACE IS KEY TO A GOOD TAILGATE

With 600 acres, we can work with fans and the league to design a perfect tailgate and one that resembles the Southern California Lifestyle. For instance, our plans include wave pools for surfing, mountain walls for rock climbing and a one of a kind skate park for future X-Games.

In addition, we will have unbelievable amounts of open space that will allow for traditional tailgate activities. Fans don’t want to sit at a chain restaurant and they don’t like the idea of being cornered in a parking garage where you can’t see the sun and you have no place to tailgate. They want to show up with a grill, a cooler, a big screen, an RV or a truck and enjoy the day. Because our location is outside of the urban core, we have plenty of space and on-site parking so you don’t have to walk. And for those who want to take public transportation, we will have an on-site Metro Link station and one of the largest bus staging sites in the area. (But we know you can’t transport your grill via bus…which is why fewer than 8,000 fans use public transportation to football games in NYC.)

WE NEED YOUR INPUT

Here is the fun part…We are looking for fans, enthusiasts and tailgating experts to share with us some of the best ideas for the future development of our site. Do you have an idea on how to make our site unique to Southern California or do you have thoughts on how we can upgrade the quality of a traditional tailgate?

If so, we need to hear from you. This stadium will be designed for the fans and for the ultimate tailgate experience.

Also, please check out the official LA Stadium website at www.lastadium.la

Follow LA Statdium on social networks:
Facebook.com/lastadium
Twitter.com/lastadium
YouTube.com/lastadium

A few weeks ago we went out to Las Vegas for the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show. There we discovered lots of cool tailgating gear, games and gadgets and over the course of the next week or two we will be posting up some video interviews with the inventors and manufacturers of those products.

One in particular stood out and it is called BasketPong. Since beer pong is the fastest growing tailgating game in the parking lot amongst tailgaters, we were pleasantly surprised to see a new twist on an old game. You see, BasketPong takes the game play of beer pong and combines it with elements of basketball to make a completely new game. We met with Paul and Richard out in Las Vegas and had a chance to put together this video interview demonstrating how to set up and play BasketPong.

If you chose to skip the video, BasketPong comes in it’s own self-contained carrying case and sets up in minutes. Everything you need to play is contained within the game case. All you need to do is provide the beer and plastic cups and you are ready to play vertical beer pong in less than 90 seconds. Even the easiest of traditional beer pong tables do not set up that fast. And with stadium parking lots reducing tailgating times around the country, every minute counts when it comes to your tailgating time. Take a look at the photos we took along each step of setting up the BasketPong.

We were able to not only test and review the BasektPong beer pong game out in Las Vegas but we also tested the game once we got home. After setting up the game and playing it a few times we discovered a few things we had not noticed while out at the Tailgate Show.

One thing we liked is that you can use the backboard to help bank in the ball and make it into the cup. NBA players may lose style points for using the backboard but not in beer pong. Also, while playing with a friend, we transitioned into playing a game of H-O-R-S-E in that when one player would make a cup, if the other player failed to hit the same cup, the missing player had to drink the cup. We’re sure that once you play the game you can come up with a few rules and changes that suit you and your group of friends.

Another aspect we enjoyed was the fact that it does not take up a lot of room in your tailgating space. Normally while tailgating and wanting to play beer pong, you need to find a 8′ x 2′ space under your canopy so as to not spill out into your tailgating neighbor’s space. With BasketPong, less space is needed. Also, set up and break down is fast and easy meaning you will have more time playing and tailgating and less time setting up.

After seeing this product in Las Vegas and also testing one of our own, we are definitely going to give BasketPong the Tailgating Ideas “Tailgate Approved” stamp of approval. We enjoyed this product so much and think it would be a valuable addition to your tailgating gear that we have added it to our online tailgating gear store.

BasketPong is priced at $119.99 plus $14 flat rate shipping to the lower 48 states. Click HERE to learn more about BasketPong and how to take your beer pong game vertical.

Over the years we have tested and reviewed a number of rapid beer delivery devices. After testing out and trying the Double Beer Bong, the Flabongo, the Guzzle Gun and other chugging devices and beer drinking paraphernalia and even a Traffic Cone, the Shotgun Champ is the fastest beer delivery device we have tested. Trust us. we have tested quite a few….

Simply stated, the Shotgun Champ is a plastic cup that has a hexagonal slotted pyramid at the base that punctures a hole in the base of your beer can. There is a mouth piece at the side of the cup where you will receive your beer rapidly. And when we say rapidly, we mean really fast. The Shotgun Champ is designed to empty a 12 oz can in less than two seconds. Repeat: 2 Seconds!

In order to use the Shotgun Champ you will need 1) a 12 oz. (or larger) aluminum can 2) a hard flat surface 3) a willingness to pound beer really fast. Here is how you use the Shotgun Champ.

1. Place the can upside down on any flat surface. Tables are the preferred surface but a unfolded tailgate will work or even the ground.
2. Put the Shotgun Champ on the base of the can and tap it to slightly puncture a small hole in the can.
3. Push the Shotgun Champ down onto the can until it locks
4. Lift the can up and place the mouthpiece in your mouth while the can is still mostly upside down.
5. Bring the can up and pop open the top of the can.
6. Drink the contents until gone.

If you need a video tutorial, here is one followed by a brief demonstration of two people trying the Shotgun Champ for the first time.

We enjoyed this product and the effectiveness it brings to shotgunning that we have decided to offer it in our online tailgating gear store. You can get your own Shotgun Champ from Shop.TailgatingIdeas.com for $6.95 plus $5 priority mail shipping. The better news is that if you buy two Shotgun Champs we will charge you the same shipping price as if you bought just one. After all, who wants to shotgun all by themselves? Get the Shotgun Champ HERE.

Consuming large quantities of alcohol can be hazardous to your health and should be avoided. This product is a novelty item and is not intended for use as a means to consume large quantities of alcohol. The user may consume larger quantities of fluid in a shorter period of time than drinking without this product. Users of this product are hereby advised that they are responsible for what they consume out of this product. Using beer/alcohol in this product will result in quick elevations in blood alcohol level, and intoxication will occur more quickly and more intensely than consuming fluids without this product. This product should never be used, or furnished to persons fewer than 21 years of age. Use this product responsibly and in conjunction with state and federal laws regarding alcohol consumption. The user assumes all risks in any way associated with the use of this product. Tailgating Ideas does not promote excessive alcohol consumption. DRINK RESPONSIBLY AND DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.

Everyone likes saving money. Esspecially in today’s economy with high unemployment and rising gas prices we all could use a little relief on our wallets. That is why we are teaming up with Coupon Craze and posting new coupon codes each week to related products and items that would be of interest to sports fans and tailgaters. So if you are in the market for some new gear, check to see if these coupons can save you some money.

FansEdge – Take $5 off a $65 purchase
Expires: 1/31/2012

Swell – Take 40% off Jackets
Expires: 1/31/2012

Workoutz – Coupon for $5 off purchase
Expires: 1/31/2012

Sierra Trading Post – Take 20% off purchase
Expires: 1/31/2012

So much of the focus of tailgating is always on the actual party in the parking lot. But when it comes right down to it, the reason why you are tailgating is because you are going to be attending a game or concert later. Unless you are grilling and chilling in an abandoned parking lot somewhere, you will eventually be packing up and heading inside to your event, thus the tailgate party will come to an end. It is this time of the tailgate that we would like to focus on today. Because all too many times we make a mistake or are careless once we leave our parking spot.

Fold in side mirrors – This might seem like a small suggestion but it will save you big money and big headaches in the long run. By simply folding in your side mirrors you reduce the amount of space between your vehicle and the one parked on either side of you. Typically people will walk between cars in order to get to and from the stadium. Typically people have had a few beers when they are doing this. People who have had a few beers don’t typically walk in the straightest of lines. So that means your side mirrors will get bumped quite a bit and could get broken. By tucking them in before turning off the engine right as you get to the parking lot and park will help reduce this hazard and could save you money down the road from having to get them replaced if broken.

Make sure grill is cool – How many times a year do we post videos or news articles about some knucklehead who left his charcoal grill out and too close to his car? More than we would like. Even worse, the amateur tailgater who thinks placing his $20 hibachi underneath his engine while still hot is a great way to hide it from potential thieves. No matter if you grill on propane or charcoal, make sure the grill is completely cool before packing it away. If using charcoal, if still hot, douse the coals with a lot of water to put the fire out. Sure it is messy but it is better to do that than come out after the game to find your car has been incinerated along with the other four cars parked on either side of yours.

Lock your vehicle but don’t arm your alarm – Never would we suggest leaving your car unlocked but in a stadium parking lot we suggest locking your car but not setting your car alarm. Here is our rationale. No matter where you are, at home, at work, at the grocery store, etc., and you hear a car alarm going off somewhere, what is your first thought? Is it, “Oh my God, someone’s car is getting stolen or broken into!”? Or is it, “Someone must have accidentally hit the panic button while trying to unlock their car or the car was bumped by someone walking by.”. Hardly ever do we think a car is being stolen when a car alarm is audible. Also, most car alarms sound the same, In a parking lot full of cars, how will you know that it is your car that the alarm is going off. Lastly, you will be inside the stadium a pretty good distance away from your car. Stadiums are noisy places. Do you really think you will be able to determine if your car alarm is going off while inside?

The reason why we suggest locking your car but not setting the alarm is that car alarms draw their power from your battery. If your car alarm is going off while you are in the game, 1) you won’t hear it, 2) nobody pays attention to them anyway and 3) all it will do is drain your battery. Instead of coming back to your car and wondering why you now need a jump, just double and triple check that your car is locked but forget the alarm.

Have tickets in hand – How many times have you gotten to the gates of the stadium and had this conversation/argument? “I thought you grabbed the tickets!” All too often this is the case and in my many years of tailgating and going to games it never fails that I will pass a group of people frantically checking their pockets and bags for tickets as they are standing outside the stadium gates. We would suggest having a fail-safe routine that includes the tickets. Maybe place the tickets someplace where you will have to pick them up in order to lock the car. Or place them with your hat and jersey you always wear before going inside. Or even better would be designating one person who regularly tailgates with your group to be the designated ticket holder. That way they know it is their responsibility to have the tickets and it just becomes part of the packing up routine of the day.

Leave plenty of time to get through security – Tailgating is great and sometimes can go long. Eventually you are going to go inside the game or concert and those events are going to start on time (concerts not as much). I have never heard an announcement over the public address telling the fans the game is delayed because “we are waiting for the last of the tailgaters to make their way inside.”

Ever since the September 11th terrorist attacks, security at large public places in the United States has increased steadily. With more pat downs and bag checks comes more delays and wait times to get inside the venue. Make sure to budget plenty of time to get to the gates, wait in line to be patted down and get through the ticket turnstiles. It sucks that you may have to pack up your tailgate a little earlier than you had liked but you need to determine you priorities. Is it more important to make it inside on time for the start of your event or is it more important to you to hang out longer and tailgate? Both choices have their merits but also be aware that many stadium parking lots have strict rules on tailgating after kick-off. If you choose to miss some of the game in favor of tailgating longer, you not only will be missing the start of the game but also may be inviting the cops to stop by and pay you a visit.

Those are just a few tailgating ideas for you to follow when the party is over. Feel free to share your tips in the comments section below.

Everyone likes saving money. Especially in today’s economy with high unemployment and rising gas prices we all could use a little relief on our wallets. That is why we are teaming up with Coupon Craze and posting new coupon codes each week to related products and items that would be of interest to sports fans and tailgaters. So if you are in the market for some new gear, check to see if these coupons can save you some money.

Fathead – Click HERE for 15% off purchase
Expires: 1/23/2012

Pro Sports Memorabilia – Click HERE and get $10 off a purchase of $150 and Free Shipping
Expires: 1/31/2012

Online Sports – Click HERE and take 5% off purchase
Expires: 1/31/2012

Sportsman’s Guide – Click HERE and take $10 off and purchase of $99
Expires: 1/31/2012

ProBoardShop – Click HERE and get an extra 10% off Vans Outerwear
Expires: 1/31/2012

People tell me all the time how they have been bungee jumping and what a thrill it is. They ask me why I haven’t tried it yet. I now have a video to show them my reasons why. Links follow the video:

• Join us on our Tailgating Ideas Facebook Fan Page
• While we’re being all social media, feel free to follow Tailgating Ideas on Twitter too
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