Stanford Stories XXI - Tailgating

January - for some sports fan the best month of the year. Why? Because it’s playoff season in the NFL (the national football league). Fortunately, the San Francisco 49ers played very well this year which allowed them to participate in the playoffs. After winning against the Seattle Seahawks in the wildcard round, the 49ers were facing the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round at home in Santa Clara last Sunday. For me personally, a last chance to see the atmosphere of an NFL game here in the bay area. But since playoff tickets are insanely expensive (>$400), I decided to take my bike, ride to the stadium and to just enjoy the pre-game party and atmosphere called tailgating.

Tailgating is a popular tradition for sports fans, bringing people together to bond and show their support for their favorite team. Fans from both teams will gather in the parking lot in front of the stadium to share food, drinks, and stories, creating a festive atmosphere before the main event. I’d say that the atmosphere at the tailgating is sometimes better than the atmosphere in the stadium.

One of the best things about tailgating is the sense of community it creates. 49ers and Cowboys fans came together to share their love for the game and their teams, discussing strategies and predictions for the upcoming match. 49ers fans were donning red and gold, painting their faces and decking out their cars with team flags and stickers.

At the end, the 49ers beat the Cowboys 19-12 and advanced to the NFC championship game (the NFL semi final). Note, that they managed to do that with their 3rd string rooking quarterback Brock Purdy who was drafted as last player in the 2022 draft. But more about “Mr. Irrelevant” in another post.

49ers fans enjoying live music before the divisional round game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Real 49ers fans obviously come by bike to Levi's stadium.
Cowboys and 49ers fans peacefully celebrating together before the game.



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