In 1962, University of Tennessee sportscaster George Mooney had an idea.
Tired of sitting in gridlock on game days, the Knoxville resident jumped on a ski boat, sailed the Tennessee River to Neyland Stadium, tied the boat to a tree, and walked to the stadium. Mooney’s problem-solving skills unwittingly birthed a beloved game-day tradition: sailgating.
As a close cousin of tailgating, the pre-game parking lot party where fans feast on barbecue and drink beer in fellowship, sailgating entails the same revelry but on a boat, boasting many conveniences.
Now the flotilla of boats on the Tennessee River has become a football season fixture. Named the Vol Navy–a nod to Tennessee’s sports teams’ mascot, the Volunteers, as well as to the “Volunteer State” nickname Tennessee picked up during the War of 1812, thanks to its volunteer soldiers.
“We make margaritas, grill, and watch the pre-game on TV,” says Michael Caudill, a fan from Gallatin, Tennessee, aboard his boat. “The fridge is fully stocked, so there is no running to the store or asking your fellow tailgate neighbor for mustard.”
Other advantages that are less obvious but equally “mission-critical” are having a bathroom on board—“You no longer have to use an outhouse or stadium bathroom,” Caudill adds—and one that Mooney surely appreciated: no post-game traffic.
Fortunately, the tradition is not limited to Tennessee. Plenty of other college and NFL teams play near marinas, too. Here is a roundup of seven stadiums where sailgate culture reigns supreme.
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Burnham Harbor – Chicago Bears
Image Credit: Getty Images Burnham Harbor, a five-minute walk from Soldier Field, welcomes Chicago Bears fans boating across Lake Michigan. As the largest harbor in the city’s network, Burnham boasts 1,126 slips that can accommodate boats ranging in length from 28 feet to 100-plus, as well as a gas dock. This season, the Chicago Bears’s home will enter its second century: Soldier Field, opened in 1924, is the oldest standing NFL stadium in the U.S.
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Neyland Stadium – University of Tennessee Volunteers
The Vol Navy Boat Docks, a 12-minute walk from Neyland Stadium, welcome more than 200 boats on University of Tennessee home games. The Vols built a large walkway between the marina and the shoreline to accommodate the volume of fans streaming into the stadium from their boats. As the proud progenitor of the sailgating tradition, the Vol Navy online store sells boat bags, blankets, and floatable keychains.
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Acrisure Stadium – Pittsburgh Steelers
Image Credit: Getty Images Formerly known as Heinz Field, Acrisure Stadium—home to both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers—sits at the confluence of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. Boaters line the North Shore wall outside the stadium to partake in gameday revelry. They can also dock at Washington’s Landing Marina about two miles up the Allegheny. The marina has 165 boat slips and shuttles to and from the games. Boatless fans who still want an experience on the water can take a Gateway Clipper from Station Square.
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Inner Harbor Marina – Baltimore Ravens
Image Credit: Inner Harbor Marina M&T Bank Stadium sits less than a mile from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, making it easy for Ravens fans to rent out transient boat slips. Inner Harbor Marina has 135 slips for boats up to 300 feet and is adjacent to an entertainment district that includes Maryland Science Center’s planetarium and IMAX theater, as well as many bars and restaurants for post-game revelry.
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McLane Stadium – Baylor Bears
Image Credit: Getty Images Located on the Brazos River, Baylor University’s McLane Stadium provides extraordinary water access for Baylor Bears fans. The river runs through Baylor’s campus to feature a large lagoon just steps from the stadium. Spectators arriving by sailboat, motorboat, or pontoon can rent a boat slip for the season at the Baylor Basin boat dock, or drop anchor in the lagoon on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Husky Stadium – University of Washington Huskies
Image Credit: University of Washington Husky Stadium, home of the University of Washington Huskies, welcomes more than 3,000 fans arriving via Lake Washington on game day. The diehards brave the North Pacific’s late fall chill and sail even on the wet, gray ones. Boats of all sizes—from skiffs to yachts—pack Husky Harbor well before kickoff. Fans on vessels that can’t fit in the marina can drop anchor in the lake and travel to shore via a shuttle-boat service.
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Oasis Marina at North Coast Harbor – Cleveland Browns
Image Credit: Oasis Marina at North Coast Harbor Oasis Marina, formerly known as the Rock and Dock Marina, on Lake Erie is an eight-minute walk to Huntington Bank Field—formerly known as FirstEnergy Stadium—where the Cleveland Browns play. Slips accommodate boats from 30 to 50 feet, and bookings are available by the hour, or overnight for the real revelers. The marina is also accessible by charter or shuttle boat from Lorain Port Authority. The Browns are mulling plans to decamp from downtown Cleveland, so hop in your boat and catch a game before it’s too late.
