Football season is among us. And with football comes the pregame festivities — a tailgate.
Tailgates are a national treasure for football fans, regardless of the team they root for.
I mean, who doesn’t enjoy some grilled meats, ice-cold brews and being in the presence of close friends and family? Probably haters, that’s who.
But a tailgate can always be improved with the proper preparation, starting with purchasing everything needed to actually gear up for one, and also following some universal rules that won’t ruin your, or anyone else’s, experience.
Here’s a list some of those preparations needed.
Plan as a group on what items to bring
It’s simple: you never want to leave the burden of bringing all of the food items to one person — because that’s just not right, you know?
One person might not have the money to purchase two dozen hamburgers, a dozen hot dogs, a pack of beer, some side dishes and dessert.
Have one person bring the main entrée: the hamburger patties and the hot dogs. Have another person buy the drinks: beer, some soda, punch or whatever it is that quenches your and your fellow tailgaters’ thirst. Have Ron and Patricia (random made up people for the sake of this column), who are probably the flakes of the group, bring the least needed dishes, like a dessert.
Overall, just make sure everyone knows what he or she or they are getting for the tailgate. As far as planning goes, two weeks in advance should suffice for all involved.
Know your limits
This is probably the most important rule of all, simply because no one wants to have to turn their focus away from the fun and eventual football game to tend to an overly drunk human.
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I encourage you to have fun — let loose a little. But don’t be that guy who ruins everybody’s experience.
Be sure to follow UNM’s tailgating regulations
Yes, UNM does have a couple rules and regulations when it comes to tailgating prior to a football game.
First and foremost, make sure that if you are indeed grilling, your grill isn’t underneath anything that is flammable. A UNM press release specifies that grills cannot be “used inside tents, under building overhangs or within 15 feet of buildings (or) within 25 feet of vehicles or other gas-fueled equipment.”
Grills are also not permitted to “be used near open windows, doors or building air intakes (and) must be set on level ground and protected against being hit or knocked over. In case of an emergency, call UNM Campus Police (277-2241). For the safety of everyone, please do not use a grill if a gas leak occurs. If you smell natural gas prior to or during grilling, turn off the burners and bottle,” according to the release.
Another delightful rule the University has in place for tailgating is to know the rules and regulations of parking in a UNM parking lot. According to the University, there are over 4,000 parking spaces surrounding the newly named Dreamstyle Stadium and, in most cases, those parking lots are open six hours prior to the start of the game. Do be weary, though — the University charges for parking.
Have fun
This rule is the simplest in nature. It’s simple because when following the rules and guidelines of both the University and the unwritten ones tailgaters abide by, having fun is almost a given.
Sure, go out there and down a couple brews and eat so many hot dogs that your stomach feels like it’s going to explode. And sure, pass that old football you’ve had since you were 13 around with a group of friends.
With all of these preparations, your tailgate should be one for the books.
Matthew Narvaiz is a senior sports reporter. He primarily covers baseball and men’s and women’s basketball but also contributes content for football. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @matt_narvaiz.
