If Baseball is America’s past time, then football is its day job. Going to games is more than just a way to fill up a Sunday afternoon or evening, it’s a religious experience for some. For those who truly support their team with their heart and soul, for the season ticket holders who haven’t missed a game in decades, the tailgate party is their playing field. There is no better place to show off how big a fan you are than in the parking lot of your local NFL stadium, hours before your team takes the field. But when it comes to tailgating and fan spirit, a few teams and stadiums really stand out.1. Lambeau Field, Green Bay Packers — Green Bay, Wisconsin, would probably be the last place you would look to locate a professional football team. This city of 100,000 is one of the smallest to have its own franchise, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in spirit. Lambeau Field and the Green Bay Packers have solidified their place in history as a legendary franchise in a legendary stadium. Playing at Lambeau is an experience all in itself, and watching a game there is necessary for any true fan of the game. Lambeau is a fantastic combination of historical significance, amazing fans, and some of the best views in the League. Don’t be surprised to see fans showing up in Green Bay on Thursday before a Sunday Night game to prepare, sitting in hot tubs on the back of flat bed trucks in the middle of winter.
2. Heinz Field, Pittsburgh Steelers — Beautiful Heinz field in Pittsburgh is set against the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, but the serene setting is rarely relaxing for visiting teams. Whether it's the 6-time Super Bowl Champion's Steel Curtain defense or the rabid fans that crowd the parking lot starting at 8 AM on game days, there is a lot to fear in Pittsburgh. But when it comes to being a fan, there are few better places to tailgate. If you want to just join in on the action you can park across the river in downtown Pittsburgh and save yourself some parking fees. But if you really want to be in the midst of the action, be sure to show up early at the north side of the lot. Tailgating action at Heinz tends to extend from the north end of the parking lots to the edge of what once was historic Three Rivers Stadium.
3. Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots — If Joe Montana and the 49ers owned the 80’s, and John Elway and the Broncos owned the 90’s, then Tom Brady and the Patriots have owned this decade. Patriots fans are drawn from all over the north east, from Boston to Nashua and Nantucket to New Haven. This eclectic group of fans comes from every background and makes tailgating at Gillette Stadium one of the most original experiences one can have. There are baked clams, clam chowder, and grilled goodies galore, but what sets tailgating here apart from other stadiums are the boisterous fans that will go to any length to represent their team. They’ll run around shirtless in the middle of a New England winter without a second thought, and after all of it they’ll be ready to cheer for their team at kickoff.
4. Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo Bills — Buffalo, home of the eponymous chicken wing, will always lay claim to the title of ultimate tailgating food. When you come to “the Ralph” as locals call it, be prepared to arrive early, be as rowdy as possible, and remember to enjoy as many of those delectable wings as you can. This season the Bills will host their first Monday night games in recent history, and you can expect that Bills fans will start showing up at Ralph Wilson Stadium well before the event takes place to prepare for game day.
5. Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City Chiefs — In Kansas City, as the last days of summer come to a close and Chiefs fans prepare for the upcoming season, the city begins to take on a red hue as fans don their gear. Though the Oakland Raiders may try to compete with the “Black Hole”, the sea of red that every fan witnesses at Arrowhead stadium on game day is something that every NFL franchise envies. It is a colossus, and from a distance it seems as though it is one single unit storming around what seems to be a puny patch of grass. There’s nothing quite like the sight of thousands of middle aged men decked out in more red than you’ve ever seen and screaming like little children as their team takes the field.
6. Cowboy Stadium, Dallas Cowboys — By most accounts, Cowboy Stadium is poised to become the new Mecca of NFL stadiums. Just completed this year, the stadium is a testament to one of the better football franchises in the history of the NFL. It seats more than 70,000 people, sports the world's largest video display, and has fans from all over the lone star state that descend upon days before the game even starts. There are few other teams in any sport that command the same amount of attention, coverage, or rabid fans as Dallas does, so it's included in the list although it has yet to host an official NFL game yet.
Photo credit: flickr cc BrunkFordBraun
4. Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo Bills — Buffalo, home of the eponymous chicken wing, will always lay claim to the title of ultimate tailgating food. When you come to “the Ralph” as locals call it, be prepared to arrive early, be as rowdy as possible, and remember to enjoy as many of those delectable wings as you can. This season the Bills will host their first Monday night games in recent history, and you can expect that Bills fans will start showing up at Ralph Wilson Stadium well before the event takes place to prepare for game day.
5. Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City Chiefs — In Kansas City, as the last days of summer come to a close and Chiefs fans prepare for the upcoming season, the city begins to take on a red hue as fans don their gear. Though the Oakland Raiders may try to compete with the “Black Hole”, the sea of red that every fan witnesses at Arrowhead stadium on game day is something that every NFL franchise envies. It is a colossus, and from a distance it seems as though it is one single unit storming around what seems to be a puny patch of grass. There’s nothing quite like the sight of thousands of middle aged men decked out in more red than you’ve ever seen and screaming like little children as their team takes the field.
6. Cowboy Stadium, Dallas Cowboys — By most accounts, Cowboy Stadium is poised to become the new Mecca of NFL stadiums. Just completed this year, the stadium is a testament to one of the better football franchises in the history of the NFL. It seats more than 70,000 people, sports the world's largest video display, and has fans from all over the lone star state that descend upon days before the game even starts. There are few other teams in any sport that command the same amount of attention, coverage, or rabid fans as Dallas does, so it's included in the list although it has yet to host an official NFL game yet.
Photo credit: flickr cc BrunkFordBraun
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