Why We’re Chasing Every Stadium Across America
The Origin Story of The Great American Tailgate
Gene and I met swing dancing in Dallas when we were both single and looking. After meeting his wife, Gene moved to Seattle, and suddenly my friend was 2,000 miles away.
Like most long-distance friendships, ours started fading. Video calls became texts. “We should visit” became something we said but never did. Then football season started.
While Gene’s a Seahawks fan; I’m a Saints fan. We’d never talked about football in Dallas, but once he was back in Seattle, it crept into our group chat. Videos of stadium crowds. Friendly trash talk. Debates about which fanbase was better.
One day Gene typed: “We should just visit every stadium.” I laughed it off. But two weeks later, I texted him: “Were you serious about the stadium thing?” “100%,” he replied.
The Real Reason
This isn’t really about football. It’s about giving ourselves a reason to see each other. Thirty stadiums means thirty guaranteed weekends together. No more vague plans. Actual dates, plane tickets, and adventures.
The stadiums get us there. But what we’re discovering is so much more.
What We’re Learning
Each city reveals itself if you take the time to look. When you’re there for a stadium visit, you end up digging deeper than the typical tourist spots. You talk to locals. You ask where they actually eat and hang out. You wander neighborhoods that aren’t in the guidebooks.
We’re learning that every city has its own culture, its own personality, its own hidden gems. The tourist version is just the surface. The real character shows itself when you’re willing to explore.
We’ve found hole-in-the-wall restaurants that don’t have websites. We’ve stumbled into neighborhood bars where regulars share their city’s story. We’ve had conversations with people whose lives look nothing like ours, learning what makes their corner of America special.
Each trip teaches us something new, not just about that place, but about how diverse and interesting this country really is.
More Than We Expected
This journey is keeping Gene and me connected across the distance. We’re rebuilding our friendship with real shared experiences, not just text messages.
But we’re also learning about our own country. We’re discovering America’s hidden side, the local culture, the regional differences, the stories that don’t make it into travel guides.
The stadiums are our framework. The games give us something to rally around. But the real magic happens in the detours, the conversations, the tailgating and the unexpected moments when a city opens up to you.
Gene moved to Seattle, and I thought our friendship might slowly fade. Instead, it became the start of the best adventure either of us has had. Thirty stadiums. Thirty cities. One friendship finding its way across the miles.
Follow along as we discover the hidden culture of America, one stadium at a time.