Tailgate Guys
Established: 2009
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| Photo by: Tailgate Guys |
Headquarters: Auburn, Ala.
Key executives: President and CEO Parker Duffey; co-founder and COO Michael Otwell
Key clients: Auburn University, University of Texas, University of Florida, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech
Offerings: Tailgate equipment and event management.
On the menu: Tailgate Guys began hosting 53 groups at Auburn University in 2009. This college football season, Tailgate Guys will host about 300 groups at Auburn and have a presence at four other power five campuses. Duffey said that several of those locations will gross upward of $1 million to be shared between the company and the school. Tailgate Guys provides groups with all the supplies they need to hold a tailgate party, including tents, tables, coolers and chairs, as well as premium options like catering and TV. Packages are designed to accommodate everyone from a family of five to a corporate get-together of 75, and start at $400 an event. One elaborate tailgate at Texas A&M last Thanksgiving featured hardwood floors, chandeliers, lounge furniture, several bars and multiple TVs. The company takes care of all the sales and operations on behalf of the university, and it has begun hosting events for some of its university partners on a year-round basis.
SEATING SOLUTIONS
V.I.PORTABLE SUITES
Established: 2014
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| Photo by: Seating Solutions |
Headquarters: Long Island, N.Y.
Key executives: Chairman Scott Suprina; director of sales Chandler Suprina
Key clients: LiveNation, MGM Resorts, Utah State University, Black Hills State University
Offerings: Portable, three-story luxury suites designed to offer several event-viewing perspectives.
On the menu: Seating Solutions has been providing fixed and temporary event seating for about 30 years, but its newest offering — the V.I.Portable suite system — is only about a year old. First concocted to provide MGM Resorts with temporary premium seating for its iHeartRadio Music Festival, the V.I.Portable is a three-story suite mounted on aircraft tires and designed to be moved easily by forklift. The units can accommodate up to 50 people. The first two levels have indoor and outdoor areas, while the top tier is an outdoor party deck. Interior areas are climate-controlled and feature leather furniture, a refrigerator and mini-bars. The V.I.Portable this season will make college football appearances at Utah State and Black Hills State. Seating Solutions leases the units to the schools, which in turn rent them to the end user. The cost to the property for a single unit is about $35,000 an event, or $60,000 for a full season, including transportation, installation and removal. The company is in talks with several MLS teams.
Gameday Traditions
Established: 2013
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| Photo by: Gameday Traditions |
Headquarters: Atlanta
Key executive: COO and partner Tim Watson
Key client: Georgia Southern University
Offerings: Climate-controlled, house-like structures with front porches, luxury amenities and concierge service.
On the menu: Beginning this college football season, GameDay will offer a select few tailgaters at Georgia Southern the perks of being at home just steps away from Paulson Stadium. The 400-square-foot unit, designed to accommodate up to 30 people, resembles a suburban home. It boasts a front porch with columns and a rocking chair, TVs on both the inside and outside, hardwood floors, granite countertops, a full kitchen, grilling area, restroom and sound system. The price: about $5,000 a game. GameDay is approaching additional schools about providing similar units. The company is backed by what Watson called an “eclectic group” of sports marketing executives, including Fermata Partners co-founder Derek Eiler and several former IMG executives.
Block Party Suites
Established: 2014
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| Photo by: Block Party Suites |
Headquarters: Dallas
Key executives: Co-founder and CEO Adam Ward; COO Steve Gilman; co-founder Cody Slape
Key clients: SMU, TCU, Rice
Offerings: Luxury tailgate suites made from converted shipping containers.
On the menu: In his previous line of work — custom furniture for boutique hotels — Ward had the thought of repurposing shipping containers into portable hotel rooms that could serve as supplemental lodging for large events. The idea eventually evolved into portable tailgate suites for sports and other entertainment events. Block Party Suites will have a presence on five college campuses in Texas this football season, including SMU, where a “village” of tricked-out shipping containers will line Binkley Avenue. Packages at SMU this season cost $3,500 to $7,900 a game, or $21,000 to $45,000 a season, some of which include game tickets. Both 30- and 40-person suites are available, the larger of which is equipped with a staircase providing roof access. The units include two TVs, speaker systems, outdoor furniture, tables and a retractable awning.
Boxlife
Established: 2013
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| Photo by: Boxlife |
Headquarters: Austin
Key executives: Co-owners Jane’t Howey and Sheryl Estes
Key clients: KVET-AM, Coors Light
Offerings: Luxury tailgate suites made from converted shipping containers.
On the menu: Howey and Estes were friends in college, but it was their mutual interest in shipping container design and architecture that brought them together as business partners years later. While both had originally been considering using the containers as residential spaces, they ultimately settled on luxury event hospitality spaces that are portable and sustainable. BoxLife both leases and sells its suites, and has seen them used at football games, car races and polo matches, both for tailgating and as in-event suites and VIP lounges. Event rentals range from $1,500 to $3,500, and each unit can accommodate 25 to 50 people. Features include an automated drop-down deck, slide-out awning, top deck with turf and a putting cup, running water, keg tap, TV and grill. The company has worked with the Houston Texans, Texas Tech and Texas Moor Speedway, and this season will have a presence in downtown Austin around Texas football games, providing radio station KVET-AM with a promotional presence. Estes said the company is beginning a foray into the music industry, and building out containers for housing and cabins.
Alex Silverman writes for sister publication SportsBusiness Daily.
