When you watch the Super Bowl this year, forget the TV ads and pay attention to the fans in Lucas Oil stadium in Indianapolis. How do you suppose they got there? Some may have rented cars after flying in, some probably took public transportation.
But the ones in the front row? The ones with a body full of paint, screaming with sore lungs in the cold? Waving to cameras on national TV and stuffing their faces with beer and hotdogs and chili-laden nachos?
These hardcore fans will pack up their family motorhome, stuff it with friends, family and food. They’ll bring the party with them on the road, to the parking lot, to the stadium, back to the parking lot—and all the way back to the driveway. They’re true fans. They’ll even paint that used motorhome their faithful colors.
There are some cities around the country that know how to tailgate—be it for the NFL, NCAA football, or even hockey. You’ve seen it on TV, or maybe you’ve been adventurous enough to see it in person: The Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan; The Superdome in New Orleans; the Linc in Philly. Fans crowd the parking lots, streets, nearby parks, medians…
And they’re always huddled around an RV. Why? Because those are the guys that have it together. They’ve got piles of charcoal ready to ignite and coolers of cold ones ready to ingest.
Walk through the infinite lines of RVs at any major sporting event (LSU vs ‘Bama, anyone?) and you’ve got the best of both teams—music blaring from all sides, people dancing, meeting, laughing (or crying), eating, and sleeping. You’ll see camaraderie between strangers, fighting among friends and maybe even a future All-Star playing Nerf football with the other kids.
These motorhomes create temporary cities wherever they go, and they go far. RVs often speckle the landscapes from San Fran to The Bronx, constantly moving between the country’s most exciting events. You’ll see old RVs held together by nothing more than the desire to see the next city. You’ll see new Phoenix RVs, glistening proudly with confetti strewn about its rooftop.
The best thing about this culture isn’t the hangover, though it rarely ever is. The best thing is how transferrable RVing is to your kids. You take them on one adventure to one game at your alma mater and they’re hooked. They’ll grow up and go to the same school and root for the same teams. They’ll want an RV of their own. They’ll say, “My parents came here for years and years, never missed a game.” You’ll overhear the conversation and walk over. You’ll chime in, “And we never will!”
