Finding Your Football Family

For millions of NFL fans, Sunday football is about more than watching a game. It’s about watching your team with your people. But what happens when you no longer live anywhere near your team?

A Green Bay Packers fan living in Philadelphia, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan who moves to Boston, or a Buffalo Bills fan who relocates to Los Angeles faces the same problem every Sunday: Where are my people watching the game?

These “displaced fans” are one of the most passionate communities in sports. They may live hundreds or thousands of miles from their hometown, but their connection to their team hasn’t changed. And across America, local sports bars have become their home stadiums away from home.

Packers Fans Have Built “Local Lambeaus” Across the Country

Few teams demonstrate the power of displaced fans better than the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay is the smallest market in major American professional sports, yet Packers fans can be found practically everywhere. Recognizing that enormous national following, the Packers created Packers Everywhere in 2011 to help fans find bars, restaurants and other Packers fans when they live or travel outside Wisconsin. Today, Packers Everywhere says its network includes more than 1,500 bars, restaurants and fan clubs around the world.

The team even describes participating Packers bars as a “local Lambeau” — a place where Packers fans can gather every game day even when Lambeau Field is a thousand miles away. And, these aren't necessarily quiet groups sitting around a television. Packers Everywhere organizes official pep rallies at Packers bars around the country. Recent events have brought fans together at Will's Northwoods Inn in Chicago, Wally's Wisconsin Tavern in Denver, Craft Hall in Philadelphia and other locations.

That's the displaced-fan phenomenon in action. The Packers may be playing in Green Bay, but for three hours on Sunday, a bar in Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia or Los Angeles can feel a little bit like Wisconsin.

Steelers Nation Really Is a Nation

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most recognizable traveling fan bases in American sports. The Terrible Towel isn't confined to Pittsburgh. You'll see it waving in sports bars from Florida to California — and around the world.

The Steelers have formalized that community through Steelers Nation Unite, which supports official Steelers fan clubs and Steelers bars. The organization maintains an interactive directory designed specifically to help fans find places where other members of Steelers Nation gather to watch games. The team understands something important: Steelers bars aren't simply places showing the Steelers game. They're gathering places.

The Steelers themselves have described these bars as destinations for fans living outside Pittsburgh and an important part of keeping Steelers Nation connected around the world.

Walk into the right Steelers bar on a Sunday afternoon and the experience can be completely different from walking into an ordinary sports bar. The Steelers game is on the big screens. Terrible Towels are everywhere. Touchdowns produce a room-wide celebration.

For someone who grew up in Western Pennsylvania but now lives hundreds of miles away, that experience provides something difficult to replicate watching alone at home. It provides community.

Bills Mafia May Be the Ultimate Displaced-Fan Community

Then there are Buffalo Bills fans. Few fan identities have become as powerful as Bills Mafia, and that identity travels remarkably well.

The Bills operate an official Bills Backers network specifically designed to connect Bills fans outside Buffalo. Today, the organization says there are more than 600 Bills Backers chapters worldwide, giving fans places to meet at bars and restaurants and watch games together. Some of these communities have existed for decades.

The San Francisco Bay Area Bills Backers, for example, trace their history to the 1990s. On the West Coast, fans routinely gather early in the morning for 10 a.m. kickoffs. Other Bills Backers communities have grown from a handful of Buffalo transplants watching together into bars packed with Bills fans every Sunday.

One Baltimore-area Bills Backers chapter reported attracting around 75 fans for regular-season games, while also organizing Draft parties and Buffalo-themed events. Think about what that means for the bar.

Instead of hoping football fans happen to walk through the door Sunday morning, the bar has a built-in community arriving specifically to watch one team. That's powerful for the fans — and potentially even more powerful for the business.

The Problem: Finding These Communities Is Still Harder Than It Should Be

The Packers, Steelers and Bills have all recognized the value of helping displaced fans find each other. But they're solving the problem primarily one team at a time.

Packers fans can search Packers Everywhere. Steelers fans can search Steelers Nation Unite. Bills fans can search Bills Backers. What about everyone else? And what happens when you're traveling? Or when a fan group changes bars? Or when you're looking for a place where fans are gathering for a specific game tonight?

The information is fragmented across team websites, Facebook groups, Reddit threads, Google searches, bar websites and word of mouth. There should be one place where sports fans can answer a very simple question:

Where are my people watching the game?

That's where Tailgate comes in.

Tailgate Is Built for the Displaced Fan

Tailgate is a watch-party discovery platform designed to connect sports fans with the bars and communities gathering around their teams.

Instead of searching:

“Packers bar near me.”

Or:

“Where do Steelers fans watch games in Boston?”

Or:

“Bills Backers bar in Philadelphia.”

Fans can use Tailgate to discover where supporters of their team are gathering.

The idea isn't to replace communities like Packers Everywhere, Steelers Nation Unite or Bills Backers. It's to take the behavior those communities have already proven works and make it easier to discover across sports, teams and cities.

A Packers fan moving from Milwaukee to Atlanta shouldn't have to start from scratch. A Steelers fan traveling to Chicago for the weekend should be able to find Steelers Nation. A Bills fan moving to Los Angeles should be able to find Bills Mafia.

And eventually, the same should be true for a Detroit Lions fan in Philadelphia, a Boston Celtics fan in Denver, a Liverpool supporter in Chicago or a Michigan Wolverines fan in New York.

Tailgate Can Help Bars Find Their Fans

There's another side to the equation. Bars need customers. A bar might already show every Packers game, but hundreds of Packers fans living nearby may have no idea. Another bar might be willing to become the local home for Steelers fans if it knew there were 200 displaced Steelers fans within a few miles looking for one. Tailgate can help connect those two groups. That creates a powerful network effect:

Fans find their bar. Bars find their fans. Fan communities grow. And game day gets better for everyone.

For bars, a successful team watch party can turn an ordinary Sunday afternoon into a recurring weekly event. For fans, that bar can become something much more valuable. It becomes their bar.

Sports Are Better When We Watch Together

Packers Everywhere, Steelers Nation Unite and Bills Backers demonstrate that displaced fandom isn't a niche behavior. It's already happening at enormous scale. Millions of sports fans live outside their team's home market. They still wear the jerseys. They still follow every game. They still celebrate every touchdown. They're simply looking for each other.

That's the opportunity behind Tailgate. Because whether you're a Packers fan searching for your local Lambeau, a Steelers fan looking for Steelers Nation, or a Bills fan trying to find the nearest Bills Mafia takeover, the question is ultimately the same:

Where are my people watching?

Tailgate wants to make the answer easy.

Never Watch Alone.

How to Find the Best Sports Bar for a Big Game

There’s nothing quite like watching a game surrounded by other fans. The energy, the reactions, the high-fives after a huge play, it’s an experience that’s hard to recreate at home. But if you’ve ever searched “sports bar near me” before kickoff, you know that finding the right place to watch isn’t always as easy as it sounds.

Not every bar showing a game is a true sports bar. And even among bars with sports on TV, there can be a huge difference between a place that happens to have the game on and a bar packed with fans who care about the same team you do.

That’s where Tailgate comes in.

What Makes a Great Sports Bar?

The best sports bars offer more than a few TVs hanging over the bar. A great sport bar creates an atmosphere where watching the game is the main event.

Start with the basics: plenty of TVs, good sight lines, game-day food and drinks, and a staff that understands fans. But atmosphere matters just as much. Watching your team make a fourth-quarter comeback is a lot more fun when the people around you are just as invested in the outcome.

That’s especially important if you’re an out-of-market, transplant fan. Your local bar might have your game on one screen, but what you really want is a place where other fans of your team are watching too.

Find Bars With Sports Fans Like You

Searching Google for a sports bar near me can help you find nearby establishments, but proximity only tells you part of the story.

What games will they be showing? Which team does the crowd support? Is it a regular gathering place for a particular fan base? Will anyone else there care about your game?

Tailgate is designed to answer a different question: Where are my fellow fans watching?

Tailgate helps sports fans discover local watch parties and connect with other fans who want to watch the same teams and games. Instead of simply finding bars with sports playing on TV, you can find places where the game you care about is part of the experience.

A Better Way to Watch Your Team Away From Home

Being an out-of-market, displaced sports fan used to mean watching games at home or walking into a random bar and hoping they would put your team on a TV.

Today, sports fandom is everywhere. A Philadelphia fan can live in Boston. A Detroit fan can live in Austin. A New York fan can be traveling in Chicago. Your team may be hundreds or thousands of miles away, but there are often other fans nearby looking for the exact same thing you are.

Tailgate helps bring those fans together.

The next time you’re tempted to search “sport bar near me” or scroll through a long list of local bars trying to figure out which one will have your game, check Tailgate and see where other fans are gathering.

Turn Game Day Into a Watch Party

The difference between watching a game and experiencing game day often comes down to the people around you.

A packed room erupts after a touchdown. Everyone groans when a shot rims out. Fans debate the call during a commercial break. Strangers become friends because they showed up wearing the same colors.

That’s what makes the best bars with sports different from simply watching the game on your couch.

Tailgate is built around a simple idea: Never Watch Alone.

Whether you’re new to a city, traveling for the weekend, living outside your team’s home market, or simply looking for a better game-day atmosphere, Tailgate can help you find sports fans and watch parties nearby.

Don’t Stop at Just Searching “Sports Bar Near Me.” Find Your Fans.

The best sports bar near me isn’t necessarily the closest bar with a television. It’s the place where you can watch your team with people who care about the game as much as you do.

That’s the experience Tailgate is designed to make easier.

Find local watch parties. Discover where fans are gathering. Meet people who root for the same teams you do.

Download Tailgate and find your next watch party.

Never Watch Alone.

Tailgate Brings Sports Fans Together, Wherever They Are

For millions of sports fans, watching your favorite team is better when you're surrounded by fans who share your love. But for fans who live far from their team's home city, finding the right sports bar or connecting with fellow supporters can be surprisingly difficult. The Tailgate Watch Party app is changing that by making it easy to discover local watch parties, meet fans of your favorite teams, and never watch a big game alone again. Available on the Apple App Store, Tailgate is designed to turn every game into a shared experience.

Tailgate allows users to find fans like them, organize watch parties, and connect with organized fan groups in their city. Whether you're a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan living in New York, a Red Sox fan in San Francisco, or a college football alum who moved across the country, the app helps you find your sports community in minutes. Instead of endlessly searching social media or calling local sports bars, fans can quickly discover where their team is being watched and who will be there.

The app also benefits sports bars, breweries, and restaurants looking to attract loyal customers. Venues can host official watch parties that bring together passionate fan bases on game day, creating energetic atmospheres while increasing food and beverage sales. By helping businesses connect directly with sports communities, Tailgate creates a win-win experience for both fans and local establishments.

What makes Tailgate unique is its real-time map feature and its focus on building real-world communities rather than simply providing scores or schedules. The app encourages fans to meet new people, celebrate victories together, and create traditions around their favorite teams. Whether it's the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, UFC, WWE, college sports, soccer, or other leagues, Tailgate helps transform watching sports from a solo, lonely activity into a social event that builds lasting friendships.

Available as a free download on the Apple App Store, Tailgate is quickly becoming a must-have companion for sports fans who want to experience every game with fellow fans. With an intuitive interface, growing network of watch parties, and a mission to ensure no fan has to watch alone, Tailgate is redefining how communities come together on game day. Whether you're traveling, have recently moved, or simply want to find your team's local fan base, Tailgate makes it easier than ever to find your people and enjoy the game together.

The Second, Third, and Fourth of Many

After a busy summer spreading the word about Tailgate, it was only fitting to keep the good times rolling into the Fall sports season.

We kicked off September with Eagles fans at the Jersey Shore to celebrate Week 1 of the NFL season. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers squared off in São Paulo, Brazil and The Beachcomber Resort in Avalon, NJ was absolutely rocking.

The pregame tunes were bumping, the pies from Mack’s Pizza in Stone Harbor were cheesier than I remembered, and the firepit kept folks warm as they watched their beloved Birds under the summer stars. I’m big on giving back to the fans, so we closed out the night by raffling off a Fanatics gift card to a lucky fan who joined Tailgate’s pre-launch waitlist!

Fast forward to Sunday, September 8th and a doubleheader of Tailgate-sponsored events.

The day started with a Philadelphia Phillies watch party for residents of Madison West Elm in Conshohocken, PA. The sun was shining, Sunday football was back in full swing, that Fall smell was in the air, and there was a ton of excitement from those who heard Tailgate’s origin story and the vision for out-of-market sports fans. Yet again, the waitlist grew larger as fans signed up to be the first to check out the new app.

After the Phillies event, I hosted a watch party at Barnaby’s with the Chester County Browns Backers, the local Cleveland Browns fan group out of West Chester, PA. I met their President, Ed Jones, after the Euro Final back in July and we collaborated to bring a handful of Browns fans together to watch the opening game against the Dallas Cowboys. And although the Browns lost, it was great to see the power of Tailgate in full effect as it brought together a community of Cleveland fans from across Southeastern PA.

That’s really what Tailgate’s all about: finding your people, connecting over a shared passion for a particular team, and going through the highs and lows together as one fanbase. No fan should have to feel like they’re alone on an island because they like a different team.

Thank you to everyone who came out in September to represent their favorite teams and to learn more about Tailgate — the Birds fans at the Jersey Shore, my Phillies fans in Conshy, and my new Browns friends down in Chesco. I had a blast getting to know you all and the stories behind why you’re an Eagles, Phillies, or Browns fan!

Stay tuned for more Tailgate updates and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook (Tailgate App), TikTok, and Instagram (@tailgate.fan)!

The First of Many

The bar at Kildares Irish Pub in West Chester, PA was absolutely PACKED for the 2024 Euro Final between England and Spain on July 14, 2024. Despite a torrential downpour across much of the Northeast, soccer fans came out in droves to support their countries and enjoy the sweet sounds of the Main Line’s best, DJ Ascendance, for a groovy pregame set.

Spain’s Nico Williams scored in the 47’ to suck the life out of the primarily-English supporting crowd at Kilds, but the Three Lions would not be held scoreless for long. England’s Cole Palmer sent a low line drive into the bottom corner in the 73’ and the English fans in attendance erupted with excitement. As fans waited on bated breath for what seemed like another inevitable extra time session, Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal sent a crossing pass into the back of the net in the 86’ and ripped out the hearts of every English fan in the building. Chants of “OLE! OLE! OLE!” rang through the bar and despite a flurry of late headers from the English, Spain held on to win the final 2-1.

And although there were many hanging heads that left Kildares after the match, the atmosphere was fantastic with more than 200 fans in attendance and the app was well-received. So many people approached me and said, “I love what you’re doing to create a community for fans like us.” We raffled off a Christian Pulisic USMNT jersey, gave away a bunch of freebies like bottle openers, stickers, and hats, met a ton of English & Spanish football fans from far and wide, and shared the origin story of Tailgate: an app being built for out-of-market sports fans to find and connect with one another like never before. See my full story on the “About” page.

This is just the beginning for Tailgate and fans everywhere, though. Times like this are what it’s all about. Coming together with people like you even when you’re thousands of miles away from your home team. The shared excitement when the bar erupts with cheering fans or having others to share the misery when the result isn’t what you wanted. Being a fan is about belonging to your tribe and feeling that sense of community and this event was all of that and more.

Big shoutout to Kildares for hosting the event, to DJ Ascendance for laying down the tracks, to my friends who came out to support me, and to the fans who made the atmosphere so fun and lively. Already looking forward to putting another Tailgate event on the calendar to bring even more fans together!