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A century ago, Coleman made its name selling lanterns to farmers and shop owners who lived outside of the electrical grid. During World War II, at the request of the military, the company created the GI Pocket Stove, which could burn any type of fuel. In the 1950s, Coleman became synonymous with rugged gear for campers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Now, the company has set its sights on a new breed of adventurer with special needs of its own: the tailgater.
The game-day party in the parking lot has quietly emerged as a lucrative sector for retailers and manufacturers that sell outdoor and sporting equipment, prompting them to roll out products designed for more urban pursuits. That Coleman Pocket Stove? Tailgaters can use a modern version to heat chili. Pop-up tents? Perfect for asphalt since there are no poles to stick into the ground. Portable blender? It may not belong in the forest, but it makes a mean frozen margarita.
“Camping items are now being utilized in parking lots almost as much as in the great outdoors,” said David Campisi, president of Sports Authority. “Twenty years ago, (tailgating) was basically a low-key gathering to eat and drink before a game, but today, it has become as important, if not more important, than the game itself.”
According to consumer research firm BIGresearch, about 8 percent of Americans listed tailgating as one of their favorite leisure activities, with men twice as likely to party as women. Joe Cahn, the self-proclaimed commissioner of tailgating, who hails from New Orleans, has questioned more than 5,000 party-goers at hundreds of games. He estimates that 60 percent are ages 25 to 44. Nearly half party six to 10 times a season, and 42 percent spend more than $500 on food and supplies. About 60 percent have a college degree.
Businesses “know that these people are spending money on a ticket,” Cahn said. “They want value added.”
At Sports Authority, the biggest sellers in the ad hoc tailgate department are canopies, camp chairs and the Coleman RoadTrip Grill, Campisi said. The privately owned chain has increased floor space for tailgating displays over the years and also promotes the event in their ads.
While tailgating is normally associated with football, Campisi said he is starting to see the party stretch to include other sports, such as baseball in the spring and soccer in the summer.
Tailgaters have unique demands. They need industrial-strength equipment to feed hordes of people in a short amount of time. All the equipment must fit inside their car. But they are unwilling to sacrifice comfort and style for functionality – a tailgate party, after all, is also about showing off.
“There’s almost a one-upmanship that’s going on,” said Michael Kempster, executive vice president of marketing for Weber-Stephens Products, an Illinois company that makes grills.
His company has long created products for spacious backyards. But when he heard about customers loading their bulky Weber grills into their pickup trucks and hauling them to football games, Kempster said, he knew he had found a new niche.
In 2003, Weber launched a line of gas-powered grills it called simply Q, with tailgaters in mind.
