By Dalton Lee, Baldwin Wallace ’11
When you want to be the best, you must learn from the best. The Naked Bootleg Tailgate, named after the famous Peyton Manning play, is undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind tailgate that has grown to be one of the greats in Tennessee fandom. The idea for the Naked Bootleg Tailgate was birthed by Kyle Cantrell, Tennessee '07 and Daniel MacIntosh, Tennessee '07, during their senior year. It started with one tent, four chairs, and a cooler, but didn’t keep to its humble origins for long. Cantrell, MacIntosh, and their wives began to observe the other tailgates and what made them so successful. After saving up some money the group bought their first generator and began bringing an old TV—allowing them to stay throughout the duration of the game and not have to abandon their post for another location. From there the Naked Bootleg tailgate grew exponentially each year and is now a finely tuned machine consisting of 8 tents (2 12x24), three generators, three televisions, grills, and a bunch of crockpots full of food.
Along with the equipment, the community continued to grow. The Naked Bootleg Tailgate soon combined forces with that tailgate of Jeff Moser, Tennessee '87, and Harrison Moser, Tennessee '20, which helped kick into motion the revitalization of the chapter. As the Delta Kappa chapter began to rebuild, the tailgate became a home away from home for the undergraduate men. Although the chapter had lost their house during the closure, Cantrell described the tailgate as “turning the park into a house.” As the tailgate thrived, so did the chapter—going on to recharter and win the Maxwell Award.
As this is the Sports Edition of the Laurel, we thought it only fitting to build the ultimate Tailgate Survival Guide. For where there are sports, there must also be tailgates. As you begin to build out your own tailgate, keep in mind these five tips from Naked Bootleg Co-Creator, Kyle Cantrell.
Tip #1 Have a Solid Tent: This goes far beyond just having a steady and reliable tent, it’s also important that it can easily be assembled with one or two people. Providing space, shade, and shelter is crucial for ensuring the guests have an enjoyable time.
Tip #2 Have Ample Seating and Table Space: Even more important than having lots of food for guests is having a place to put and eat it all. Providing seating allows guests to relax for portions of the day and gain some needed rest bit.
Tip #3 Invest in a Generator and Television: This is the most crucial factor in “building a house in the park.” Providing a television and power gives people a reason to stay. If possible, have rabbit ears for local games and a hotspot to stream games not available locally.
Tip #4 Have At Least One Solid Cooler: Having one or two reliable coolers that really do the job. As people show up, you’ll need more and more space, and a good host always provides cold refreshments.
Tip #5 Find a Prime Location: Find a flat place where you can spread out and easily set everything up. Flat ground allows for games like cornhole, tossing the football around, and places for kids to play. Get out at 3 or 4 in the morning to claim the perfect spot and hold onto it—consistence is key. Make sure people know where to find you.
Tip #6 To maximize fun, ensure that your tailgate is keeping safety in mind and in line with all Phi Kappa Tau risk management policies.