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In football, tailgating is almost as much a part of the game as the game itself. It's a chance for fans to eat, drink, and socialize ahead of the big game.
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And there's no bigger time to tailgate than the Super Bowl. One of the premiere tailgating parties for Super Bowl LIV in Miami was the Player's Tailgate, a party that took place right next to Hard Rock Stadium where the San Francisco 49ers would play the Kansas City chiefs.
The event was put on by Bullseye Event Group and hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, ESPN anchor Sage Steele, chef Aaron May, and DJ Irie. NFL players in attendance included Rashaan Evans, Jerome Baker, Jaylon Smith, T.J. Ward, Tarik Cohen, Eric Kendricks, Trai Turner, Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin, and former player Charles Woodson.
Tickets for the tailgate started at $875 and went up to $20,000 for a 12-person VIP cabana.
I scored a press pass to check out the event - here's what it was like, in pictures.
The Players Tailgate took place right next to the Hard Rock Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers would play the Kansas City Chiefs.
The event was put on by Bullseye Event Group and hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, ESPN anchor Sage Steele, chef Aaron May, and DJ Irie.
The tailgate was set up in a 2.5-acre space that included a large open-air tent and red carpeting everywhere.
Tickets for the tailgate started at $875 and went up to $20,000 for a 12-person VIP cabana.
There were several open bars where people could get any kind of drink, from cocktails to beer, wine, and even spiked seltzer.
Several alcohol brands, like Ciroc and John Walker & Sons, even had their own booths.
There seemed to be more food at the event than the tailgaters could possibly eat...
...from BBQ sandwiches to Italian meatball subs, fried chicken dumplings, duck shawarma, tacos, and shrimp.
The crowd was a sea of red, as both the Chiefs and the 49ers have red in their jerseys.
Fans dressed up to support their teams.
Many donned the jerseys of their favorite players.
Some wore elaborate head pieces.
And some Chiefs fans went all out with Native American headdresses and tomahawks.
Others were slightly more subdued.
Some fans wore Super Bowl jerseys that didn't represent either team.
Fans watched joyfully as ESPN anchor Sage Steele interviewed various NFL players, from the Tennessee Titans' Rashaan Evans to twin Seattle Seahawk players Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin.
Evans even did a short rap at Steele's encouragement, which infused some energy into the crowd.
Football fans ate, drank, laughed, and generally seemed to be having a good time — but things didn't get too crazy.
The Players Tailgate was a surprisingly laidback affair.
People seemed to be having a great time showing their love for football and their favored teams, but things didn't get as wild as I'd expected. I had to remind myself that these were adults for the most part, not rowdy college students.
But there was a palpable excitement in the air, and it was clear that fans couldn't wait for the real reason they were out: Super Bowl LIV.
At about 5 p.m., guests started to trickle out of the tailgate and head over to Hard Rock Stadium to watch the big game.
