The Group Chat: The party before the party
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Tailgates are essential to sports culture, particularly when it comes to football. A party with friends, beer pong, glizzies, and all of the pregame hype? Say less.
But tailgates aren’t always the most comfy spaces for nontraditional fans. Between the stereotypical table-smashing and heavy drinking, the bro vibes can be…intense. Not to mention that tailgates are usually in massive, barren parking lots, exposing you to all the elements at remote NFL stadiums while keeping you brutally far from the nearest clean bathroom.
Enter: NFL women’s clubs. Groups like the NY Giants’ plan tailgates for the girlies, with custom merch, live DJs, and even activations from brands like Kendra Scott. They’re making women feel at home in NFL fandom…and you can, too.
Looking to plan a tailgate for the girls, gays, and theys? Here are a few ways to GISTify your pregame party.
- 🏠 Focus on comfort. Let’s be honest — the stereotypical male football fan has a very different definition of “hospitality.” You don’t need to bring your whole living room, but we’d prioritize plenty of seating, a tent for sunny games or a space heater for cold ones, phone chargers, and being as close to a (clean) bathroom as you can get.
- 👠 Dress it up. From Abercrombie to NFL WAG/fashion designer Kristin Juszczyk’s brand Off Season to clear stadium bags, fan gear has come a long way in the past few years. Turn your tailgate into a runway, set up an Insta-worthy backdrop, and invite your friend who documents everything with her phone’s camera. Voila, instant photo shoot.
- 🍔 Up your snack game. Traditional tailgate food is great, but there’s always room for improvement. Think brunch pastries and coffee carafes for early risers, charcuterie and build-your-own-drink tables for the DIYers, themed foods for the Pinterest girlies, and sparkling water or NA bevs for the ones who don’t love beer.
- ✨ Prioritize vibes. Curated playlists, temporary tattoos with your team’s logo, games like cornhole and flip cup, a guest list that loves your team just as much as you do, even an Etsy witch to cast some spells in your team’s favor…the perfect tailgate should feel like the party before the party.
