Has Tailgating Jumped The Shark?
 

Has saying "Jumped the Shark" jumped the shark?

Here in KC, tailgating has become a big thing in ads from the grocery stores to the hardware stores to the TV weather wanks hanging out... it just seems like something that was fun and natural has been ruined by, well, being fun and natural.

Also the Chiefs have put in tighter restrictions this year about the size and sprawl of tailgates, the counter clockwise parking patterns, "Platinum" parking lots, etc.

It just seems like something that was uniquely Arrowhead has been tarnished a bit for the pure joy it used to be.

What do you think?

Tailgating in KC is the only thing that can be relied on. It's like the draft party at fantasy football. Everyone has fun until the games are played.

In today's overly commercialized NFL, fans are allowed to come into the parking lot bringing as much booze and food as they desire and are charged roughly $40 for this privilege.

So what if you have to enter the lot in some sort of controlled fashion.. And trying to limit people spreading out in the lots for tailgating in the sake of fairness doesn't seem illogical to me.

Guess I'll say.. No, it hasn't "jumped the shark" because it's not even something that can jump the shark.

I wonder if the NFL will somehow try to "Monetize" this eventually. You know, charge you extra for the right to tailgate in your parking spot?

I haven't done it in awhile #kids

It's the only notable attraction at One Arrowhead Drive, an institution that has supplanted meaningful football.

That seems very likely.

do you still have fun doing it?

if so, then no, it hasn't jumped the shark

Shhhh!!!! Don't give them any more ideas.

Pretty much this.

This past Saturday it did seem to me that the "improvements" to parking were anything but.

Then you would have the case for "jumping the shark"

Really, what the Chiefs *should* do is re-align one of the lots for maximum space and "outlet" road access from the complex to 70/435/Blue Ridge and charge a little less than what's normal and make these "express" lots were nobody is allowed to tailgate and is meant strictly for the fans that just want to go to the game and GTFO.

Think about dividing one of the bigger lots this way so there can still be a party-hardy tailgating side (say in lot...G? I forget, whichever one is directly behind the bigger Arrowvision Board) but also the express lot with the appropriate amount of "Gold" parking for both sections.

Here in Jax, Shad Khan has actually gone the other way. Folks can bring in all the food they want into the game. Just can't be liquid and has to be in clear plastic bag. We take our extra brats in.

It seems once something becomes a little too popular there is always a few in power who peek their heads up out of the sand and like to "tinker" with things. EVERYTIME they try to improve something they do just the OPPOSITE and ruin a good thing! :banghead:

like facebook when they opened it up to non-college people

I honestly am not that big of a fan of tailgating. ESPECIALLY, if I have to do it. And it's not fair to just crash someone's tailgate and eat all their food, beer etc. Just seems like way to much work, games are always too early and you have to get your ass there way before the game. No thanks. I'd rather be inside the stadium. Theres many places in the stadium you can hang out and have a drink, but I think tailgating has become such a big factor because of the outlandish concession prices.

They are pretty much already doing this. Parking at Arrowhead ain't free.

Of course they will.

If they thought they could make a cent more, they'd have all the games on PPV already.

They have been selling those huge white tents as "tailgating" for years.

It's the perfect restaurant marketing plan!

1) We charge you stupid prices to park.
2) You cram into that space.
3) Cook, cook, cook!
4) Smoky parking lot to prove Arrowhead is all about BBQ.
5) NFL shows a grill with frozen hamburgers.
6) "I'm on TV with my frozen hamburgers!"
7) $200 of wasted money trying to be "the BBQer!"
8) The NFL announcers say KC is the best smelling parking lot.
9) The Chiefs suck.

I had an open invitation for Planeteers to stop by my tailgate for years. Always had room for them. Share a jaggerbomb, rib, dog whatever. If you think tailgating is too much work, your doing it wrong.

Hard to put anything past them these days regarding squeezing out an extra nickel. But if you pay to rent a little piece of concrete, it seems like it would be pretty difficult to restrict (within reason) what you can do in your little rented piece.

They way the keep messing with the parking (remember when red was a couple of lots--now it is most of the them + gold and platinum shoved in there) it wouldn't surprise me if they restricted grilling to a few lots, called it Tailgating lots, and jacked up the price another $5.

Yeah. Cooking your own food while drinking beer is really hard work these days.....

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I usually take something that doesn't require charcoal. Like sub sandwiches, for example. I have a Jeep, and live about 10 minutes north of Arrowhead. On a good day, I can leave my house, be in my parking place in about 30 mins, pop open the tailgate, set up a folding table and chairs, unfurl the food and cooler, and we're doing the tailgate thing in about 45 mins from leaving home. Tear down takes about five minutes.

I do think that a lot of the tailgate parties are pretty overblown. I hate those white tents. Those are private party people, cliques if you will, and not even a real tailgate. It's a catered buffet in a tent. Whatever. And those tents take up a hell of a lot of parking spots. Now the Arrowhead police are going to be leaning on people to stay in their holes, not take up any extra room, etc. Dunno, over-regulation, taking the joy out of something that should be relaxed and spontaneous.

NEVAR!!!

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I agree. Havent cooked in five years. No thanks. Thank god for cooks, paper plates, plastic cups, and out to eat restaurants

Wow, really?

You've just summed of 5 years of how a homeless man eats.

Pretty much, I've made Ramen in plastic bowls and toaster strudel before. Sometimes, if I'm feeling real feisty, I'll put some Eggo Waffles in a toaster and cover them with syrup, again, using no washable plates or utensils though, this much I assure you. Best thing I've ever done, going to all paper and plastic. No dishes, pots or pans ever. Wonderful and liberating feeling. The quest for diabetes continues.

Tailgating has become such a hassle with all the new rules and the price that it's become just another reason to stay away from the stadium and get together with friends and family at someone's house instead of at the games like we used to.

Of course they needed consultants and accountants to **** up that part of the game day experience too.

Not very smart business. Assuming the Jaguars have the same attendance this year as they did last year (about 350 fans per game), that's over a thousand bucks that you're missing out on when people don't buy a stadium hot dog.

I agree. I'm still amazed Nascar allows their fans to bring in all the alcohol they want. Not only is there TONS of profit lost by doing that, but I would think liability issues might come into play as well. If I was CEO of Nascar that'd be the 1st thing I'd change.

A bunch of drunk racing fans is the last thing you need at a race. That leads to a safety issue off the track, as well as the obvious safety issue on the track (Tony Stewart).

I'm guessing all the forced organization of the traffic and parking lots will start to kill the cool factor of tailgating. You just can't organize spontaneity

Attending a race ****ing sucks. Your own cooler is the only saving grace

One year we all threw in and took a 6-person limo from L.A. to San Diego for the Chiefs/Chargers game. On the way down, we were all imagining how "ballah" it would be to pull up in a limo and tailgate with our Limo.

Truth is, it sucked: we had to pay double for "oversize Parking" and then here I am trying to grill brats on a propane lil-webber about knee high on the asphalt -- think the grill version of the "stonehenge" from Spinal Tap -- We had no place to sit, and our cooler was in the trunk of the limo since we had no extra room.

It sucked.

Though, after the game on the crawl out of the lot, my buddy and I stood out of the moonroof with a box of Krispy Kremes and offered them to the ladies walking by. Three cars back two girls were honking at us and so we went and got in their car and chatted them up. We ended up giving them Krispy Kreme and then followed them to an after party with Junior Seau.

Later, on the way home I offered to call all my buddies' S.O.'s and convince each guy's lady to engage in the sexy times when they got home. Later recon showed there was a 66 percent conversion rate. These are some dudes who had been a married for a while so that's pretty good.

EPILOGUE: About a year later I'm at the vending machine at work and a new girl there looks at me and says: "Hey, you're that Limo guy who gave us Krispy Kreme at the Chargers game!"

Tailgating is always good. The term "jumped the shark" has always been bad.

And now he's dead. Let this be a lesson about tailgating.

Just wait until they charge a fee for tailgating per how big the tailgate is.

Like everything else w/ the NFL. When money is more important than anything else, the product starts to become stale. The NFL in some markets has done a great job w/ having tailgating become an event. The NFL game day is now a day-long party that starts early in the morning before game time. Overtime, you've seen teams around the leauge restrict more and more space so that they can fit more cars into the parking lots and other assigned parking areas because more cars means more money. And then you see the yearly cost spikes in parking prices. At some point I guess you ask yourself if all the trouble and prepping for a tailgate is worth it?

No, you're just becoming old and bitter. Tailgating at Arrowhead is still however great you make it. And the combined efforts of everybody there still make for an amazing atmosphere.

This. If your tailgating has grown stale, it's because you have grown stale. Buncha old pastured has beens up in here...

Honestly, I've liked the recent parking lot changes. I can now come in Gate 5 without worrying about general admission parkers, and it takes me right to the grassy shaded area southeast of the stadium. Like old times. Best tailgate spot if you asked me...

GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

Hey, you live through 45 years without a Super Bowl and try not to feel old and bitter!!!

I try to get my head shaved and goatee just right for tailgates. Even though my once beautiful wife is now fat and never ****s me, it's o.k. tailgating is just around the corner. No one gives me the respect I deserve. I play alabama all the time to build up my self-esteem that my life is worth living. I try to drink beer and play pool to keep the voice inside me's volume level to a whisper, but still sometimes it comes through loud and clear. "YOU ARE A ****ING LOSER WHO NEVER LEARNED NOW TO BE GOOD WITH GIRLS, YOU SETTLED FOR THE FIRST BI-POLAR SPERM DUMPSTER, NOW YOUR DREAMS ARE GONE, DRINK MORE BEER, LISTEN TO MORE COUNTRY MUSIC, It's OBAMA's FAULT, IT'S CAUSE THE JOBS HAVE GONE OVER SEAS, BOY THERE ARE SURE MORE HISPANICS HERE TAKEN OUR JOBS! Meanwhile the truth is clear...you were spending your youth trying to impress some chick and trying to get the car of your dreams running....meanwhile your sperm was going inside an egg smashing your dreams forever. You sold your dream car, your hair fell out, your soul hung itself and is just waving in the wind now...

But hey It's tail gate time...time with Jake and Mike and the Boys...here they are..
Oh wow Jake looks old as shit....but he is good ole boy! How's it going jake?

Jake: Not too good I smoke too much and now I am going to die

Oh that is too bad...don't go there don't get SAD on TAILGATING DAY..
"I AM SURE IT WILL TURN AROUND!" There's Mike...Good old Mike..this is going to be like the good old days where Mike is fun. MIKE WHAT IS GOING ON MY MAN

Mike: The kids are sick...wait *checks phone* sorry I have to leave I guess my youngest is sick

It's ok...don't feel said...this type of shit happens all the time...There is still the game right???? MAN THIS IS LIKE COLLEGE GLUG GLUG GLUG WHISKEY BEER YEAH TITTIES ZZ-TOP WOOOOOOO WHOOOOOOOO GLUG GLUG

It's gametime!!! *TOMAHAWK CHOP BABY CHIEEEEFS!!HOME OF THE CHIEFS WHOOOOOO***

wait where the **** is the flyover...whats with these crappy planes...
what is with this black I mean Rap music...i MEAN cRAP music...right people????!!
Oh well I remember when they played the Stones and Black Betty. That shit was Real music. I can't even understand these black peoples words

*Editors note the song he is listening to is by EMI****ING EM A WHITE PERSON"

Holthus: And the Chiefs lose 28-14...Smith added a Late TD to make the game look closer than what it is.

Welp time to go home...those chiefs....I better text Mike "Hey mike better luck next weekend right" Go Chiefs

MIKE Texts: Oh the chiefs lost? I have been at childrens mercy my kid is sick

Yeah they lost but I thought the pass rush looked good.

MIke Texts: Yep..always next week. Btw I can't go next weekend we are doing something as a family

HAHA LOL You are so pussy whipped.

*heads home*

*Drinks beer all day and night watching football wife is not nagging anymore because she doesn't even love you enough to nag anymore....she doesn't have the balls to kill herself because that would make her a bad mother, instead she just keeps pumping in anti-depressants the way she used to dump cock into her mouth when she was cheating on you*

Monday morning....what a good weekend of football! Why won't my debit card work...*calls the bank* You have no money left in fact you are overdrawn and will pay a fee.

This is a mistake!!! *Checks balance* All the money and booze went towards the game that the chiefs played like shit

Thats it that is the last time I go to a chiefs tailgate

Thursday comes around

*I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE CHIEFS THIS WEEKEND... WHO WANTS TO TAILGATE??""

this

Anyone tailgating?