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You are here: Home / Archives for Tailgate Party

If You Build It They Will Come

March 16, 2017 By Brian Wawryshyn


The football tradition of tailgating has a long history, especially in the United States. The two go hand in hand and some enjoy the pregame festivities of a good tailgate more than the game itself.

This week, the BC Lions hinted that this tradition could eventually take place in the shadows of BC Place Stadium. A survey sent out to season ticket holders included this question:

“ If there was a pre-game tailgate experience in a parking lot adjacent to BC Place, where you could bring your own picnic-style food, set up lawn chairs and enjoy pre-game beverages (provided by a licensed 3rd party) up to 2 hours before the game, would you be interested in purchasing a parking pass for your vehicle at this event?”

As someone who has tailgated for almost 13 years, and has fought for the right to do so, I am encouraged that the club has decided to explore this idea. There are obstacles to overcome of course, and in the e-mail, the club acknowledges that “There are still many steps that need to be taken in order to bring some of these great ideas to life…”.

One of those steps would be to work with the various levels of government, and the people who own the parking lots surrounding BC Place Stadium, which has always been brought up in my discussions with the Lions about tailgating and the lack of it in the past.

The quote above also speaks of  “bring your own picnic style food”. It’s unclear whether that would include barbeques being permitted, which has also been an issue we have fought for in the past. And really, without a BBQ, a lot of the fun of tailgating is taken away. The smells of the food wafting throughout the lot, the competition between tailgaters to cook elaborate meals are all part of it.

Currently, our group tailgates at the parking lot at Quebec and Terminal, across the street from Science World, thanks to the fine folks at Easy Park, and some help from the city of Vancouver, I was able to get permission to use the lot. As a community, we police ourselves and after we have left, you would never know a tailgate party happened. We leave the lot free of garbage and have never had an incident that would put this privilege in jeopardy.

The perception of some is that tailgating is about drinking, but it isn’t. It’s about cooking yourself and your friends a nice pregame meal and having a few beverages. But most of all it’s about the social aspect and spending time with friends and fellow fans to get geared up for the game. We’ve hosted fans from other teams and Lions players have popped by on their way to and from games.

One thing that is missing from our tailgate is that we aren’t near the stadium. It takes away a little of the atmosphere, and we have about a 15-minute walk to and from the stadium.

The Lions proposed model seems to be following one implemented in Toronto last year, their first at BMO Field. From all accounts, it was a success there and while you can argue it didn’t help their attendance, those that took part enjoyed the experience. Barbeques are permitted, and while you can’t bring your own alcohol, an ice-cold beer is reasonably priced at $4.00.

In Calgary, the tailgating capital of Canada, season ticket holders are sold tailgate passes and there is a waiting list to get one. I would imagine this would be a part of the Lions plan as well, and it’s a good way to do it. It’s another perk of being a season ticket holder and if you abuse the privilege you lose your pass.

Some, even in my group, won’t like this and may even choose to just stay where they are without the imposed rules of any sanctioned tailgate. However, the Lions need to start thinking out of the box to get fans back inside the stadium. This is a good start, and one I would likely support depending on the cost. Making going to a game an event is a key, especially to the younger demographic that the Lions have seen stay away from attending games.

Hopefully, the Lions can work out the issues and make this happen. If you build it, they will come. I’ve seen it happen myself.

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Featured, Tailgating Tagged With: BC Lions, BCLionsDen.ca, Brian Wawryshyn, CFL, Tailgate Party

Tailgate Empire lives on in downtown Vancouver as we return “home”.

September 23, 2011 By Brian Wawryshyn

Remember the days of tailgating at the PNE fondly Lions fans…it’s unlikely you’ll ever have it that good again. That said, Tailgate Empire will live on in the streets in Vancouver thanks to our friends at Easy Park.

The BC Lions sent out e-mails to their season ticket holders yesterday offering parking 6 blocks away from the stadium under Pacific Centre Mall. And while the price is definitely right at $21.36 including taxes for all four games at BC Place, an underground parking lot obviously can’t facilitate tailgating.

The Lions staff took some much appreciated time to speak with me yesterday and while they wished us the best of luck in our tailgating future, there isn’t much they can do about it. Parking lots around the stadium are disappearing at the expense of real estate development and those that remain are privately owned lots that refuse to allow tailgating.

The PNE model proved once again that if tailgating is done with planning and some simple rules in place, it provides a great game day atmosphere for fans and even creates new ones for the team. Tailgate Empire will continue to pursue this tradition in Vancouver until we simply have no options left.

With that said, our regular group of tailgaters will be setting up shop at the Easy Park lot at Main and Terminal. The great folks at easy park gave us this lot during the last season at BC Place, and have graciously offered it to us once again on our return. The lot is one skytrain stop or a 10 minute walk to BC Place.

This is a small lot so spots are limited. Also there are some critical rules you must adhere to of we wish for this to continue.

1) Your spot must be paid for apon arrival. If that means you pay extra for arriving early, that means you pay extra.

2) NO CHARCOAL BBQ’s

3) All garbage must be removed by tailgaters. COME PREPARED.

4) All beverages must be in plastic cups.

5) There are no washrooms on site. Do not make the lot your washroom.

6) Eachl tailgater vehicle can only take up one parking spot.

There is another option for Lions fans pregame entertainment and that is the official club Street Party outside of Terry Fox Plaza on Beatty Street. The Lions staff have put a lot of effort into providing a great atmosphere for fans of all ages and on September 30th it will be their biggest event yet to celebrate the reopening of BC Place stadium.

I want to thanks the great people at Easy Park, in particular Greg Watrych who has gone out of his way to give us a home! Whenever you park downtown, please consider their lots for your parking needs!

So Tailgate Empire, we’ll see you on Sept. 30th at our new/old home!

Filed Under: Den Talk, Featured, News, Tailgate Empire, Tailgating Tagged With: BC Lions, BC Place, CFL, Easy Park, September 30th 2011, Tailgate Empire, Tailgate Party

An open letter to the PNE and the BC Lions

September 12, 2011 By Brian Wawryshyn

Dear PNE and the BC Lions Football Club,

We started off with a blip and ended with a bang and as avid tailgaters we are here to say thank you.

After our rocky start, you stepped up to the plate and gave football fans in Vancouver the best tailgating experience this city has ever seen. There have been large tailgate parties in the city before. But nothing compared to what you provided for us. It was real, it was encouraged and it was awesome.

You proved beyond a doubt that tailgating is not an evil activity. You proved that with the foresight to provide garbage cans and washrooms and a few non-meddling authorities to watch over the proceedings that tailgating is an activity that just adds to the game day experience of fans, and boy did Lions fans have it good for the last year and a half.

Great steaks, prime ribs, homemade burgers, crepes, French toast, cedar plank salmon and other delicious meals were created in Lot 9. Footballs were thrown around, new friends were made and the BC Lions game experience rivaled that of our friends in Calgary, where the standard for this pastime has been set in the CFL.

The tailgaters in your lot were mostly season ticket holders, many who have never tailgated before. They are now wondering why they never did this before, and where they will do it when the games move downtown. They may be in for a shock.

We’re hopeful that those involved will make something happen downtown. It can only fill the parking lots, and create new fans if it’s done the way you showed them how to do it.

To the BC Lions we thank you as well. We know that both the PNE and the club worked together to make this happen for the fans. We hope you can work with your new partners to make sure this great football tradition doesn’t disappear in Vancouver. Your fans are now hooked.

Lastly to all the fans that came out and joined the tailgate experience thank you as well. You picked up your garbage. You respected the lot and your fellow tailgaters and you showed all the parties involved how great this can be.

We’re all members of the Tailgate Empire and it was a great ride!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Signed,

Tailgate Empire

We invite you to share your memories of the great tailgates at Empire Field, we would love to hear them.

Filed Under: Den Talk, Featured, Tailgate Empire, Tailgating Tagged With: BC Lions, CFL, Empire Field, PNE, Tailgate Empire, Tailgate Party, Tailgating

Tailgate Empire brings the “A” game for a prime performance at Empire Field.

July 31, 2011 By Brian Wawryshyn

There comes a time in every man’s life when he looks in the mirror and decides that nothing less than his “A” game will do. For the Tailgate Empire that day was last Friday at Empire Field. Members of the Tailgate Empire put their pants on one leg at a time just like everybody else, but on this particular Friday afternoon something was different. Something smelled different and we were counting on something tasting different.

The football club was 0-3, but that would not damper our spirits. There was no running game to be found in Jacques Chapdelaine’s play book, but the Tailgate Empire were prepared to run through a wall. Travis Lulay’s squad were a pass happy bunch, but the Tailgate Empire were happy to merely pass the mustard. The football club was struggling, but the tailgater’s were in mid-season form.

A tailgate menu is not unlike a coach’s game plan. We usually start preparing for the next game right after the last game has ended. It takes careful planning and preparation, and it will only be a success with proper execution. The menu this week was the best it has ever been. A slow cooked rotisserie Prime Rib, some Candied Yam, and a Garlic Lovers Caesar Salad. This was definitely an “Adult” tailgater. Well planned out and brilliantly executed.

We had to bring a full size BBQ down to Empire in order rotisserie the Prime Rib. It is a little bit more work, but a small price to pay for the epic meal that was in store for us. We started with getting our smoke box loaded up with Mesquite chips. We placed the smoke box close to the flames. We found a nice central spot on the roast to run the spit through so that it spins evenly. Once that was done we salted the fat by hand with a generous portion of table salt, and then rubbed the entire roast with Montreal Steak Spice. The roast is now ready for flame. We had a three burner BBQ, so we place the roast over the middle burner and we lit the two outside burners so as to cook the roast with indirect heat. This will ensure that we cook the inside of the roast without burning the outside.

Slow cooked goodness! Photo: BCLionsDen.ca

We roasted it on medium for about 2 ½ to 3 hours checking occasionally. It is always best to use a meat thermometer. We wanted an internal temperature of 140-150 degrees for a nice medium to medium well Prime Rib. We usually like medium rare, but in this case we like to see the marbling in a Prime Rib cook thoroughly and inject more flavor into the meat. We pulled the roast off of the grill and tented it in foil to rest for about 10 minutes before we carved it up.

The Candied Yams are a favorite of ours from way back. They are easy to do and quite enjoyable. First, peel your yam and slice them into silver dollar sized pieces. Next, position the yam pieces into a domino like row on a sheet of foil with one yam piece leaning on the next. Drizzle some honey over the yams and sprinkle some brown sugar as well. Add a dollop of butter and wrap into a foil pack. Cook on the grill with indirect heat for about 15-20 minutes and they’re ready to serve.

Candied Yams, ready for the grill! Photo: BCLionsDen.ca

We will spare you on the details of cutting lettuce, but we will hook you up with the only Caesar dressing recipe you’ll ever need. 3-4 cloves of garlic minced added to one egg in a tall container. Add ½ cup of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of olive oil while blending with a hand mixer. Once we’re all mixed in then we can fold in with a fork a dash of pepper, ½ tsp of mustard powder, tsp vinegar, tsp of lemon juice, tsp of Worcestershire sauce and ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add this dressing to some romaine lettuce and croutons and your have the only Caesar you’ll ever need!

We definitely brought our “A” game this time out. It was some of the best Prime Rib we’ve ever had. The best part is that we pulled this gourmet beauty off in a parking lot and then headed in to Empire Field to see another entertaining football game. Check back next week as the Roughriders are in town and Cedar Plank Salmon is on the menu. Only three games left at Empire!

The finished plate! A prime rib dinner for a Lion! Photo: TailgateEmpire

Related: For more photos from last Friday’s tailgate party, check out the gallery!

Follow the BCLionsDen.ca Tailgate Empire on Twitter @TailgateEmpire

Filed Under: Featured, Tailgate Empire, Tailgating Tagged With: BBQ, Candied Yams, Ceasar Salad, Empire Field, Prime Rib, Tailgate Empire, Tailgate Party

Tailgate Empire: Photos from the July 22nd Tailgate at Empire Field

July 25, 2011 By Brian Wawryshyn

The Lions may have lost the game but once again the tailgate party was a winner! Tailgate Empire kicked it up a notch with some outstanding food. Take a look at some of the fun in this photo slideshow!

Filed Under: Photo Galleries, Tailgate Empire, Tailgating Tagged With: BC Lions, BCLionsDen.ca, Photos, Tailgate Empire, Tailgate Party

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