by Biloxi Von Lutz

Created on: April 09, 2010

Tailgating before a sporting event has become a ritual almost as big as the game itself to many fans. People arrive many hours before the game to get the best spots. They set up grills, tents and sometimes even TVs to prepare for the event. It's a social spectacle unto itself, but no tailgating experience is complete without some sort of game to play to pass the time.

There are an endless number of games to play while tailgating, but the most popular ones currently are Bag Toss (Cornhole), Ladderball, and Beer Pong. Bag toss and Ladderball are fun for all ages, but Beer Pong should be reserved for adults only since it involves drinking beer. 

Bag Toss
Bag Toss, popularly known as Cornhole, is similar to horseshoes. It's easy to set up and won't cause any damage to cars, so it's excellent for tailgating in parking lots. It's played with six bean bags, three for each team. Two inclined platforms with 6-inch diameter holes are placed approximately ten yards apart. There are two members on each team and they stand on opposite ends of the course. Opponents take turns throwing the three bean bags from one end to the other, just like in horseshoes. 

A team scores by either tossing the bag through the hole on the platform or getting it to land on the platform. A team gets three points for throwing the bag through the hole and one point for a bag landing on the platform. The opposing player then throws his bean bags and any points he scores count against the points of the preceding player for that round. The game continues on like this until one team reaches or exceeds 21 points. More information on Bag Toss can be found here.

Ladderball
Laddderball is another tailgating game that has skyrocketed in popularity recently. It consists of two "ladders," built specifically for the game, with 3 rungs apiece.  The ladders are typically placed 10-12 yards apart and players take turns throwing the bolas (two small balls attached with a short length of rope) at the opposite ladder, much the same as horseshoes or bag toss. Each rung has a different point value, usually three points for the bottom, two for the middle, and one for the top. Like Bag Toss, if the opponent hits the same rung as another, the points cancel each other out. The players toss the bolas back and forth until one team reaches or exceeds 21 points. More information on Ladderball can be found here.

Beer Pong
Beer Pong is very popular at college football games. It requires beer, so it's meant only for adults. To play, a table between six and ten feet long is required. Nine plastic cups are arranged in a triangle shape on either end of the table, and are partially filled with beer. Unlike Bag Toss and Ladderball, teammates stand on the same end of the table in Beer Pong. Teams take turns attempting to throw ping pong balls into the opposing team's cups. When a player throws a ball into a cup, their opponent has to drink the beer. This continues until one team has rid their opponents end of the table of cups. There are an endless variety of house rules for beer pong. Typically a team is allowed to realign their cups at least once per game and bouncing the ball into the cup is typically discouraged. More information on Beer Pong can be found here.

Any of these games can be a nice addition to your tailgating experience, but just remember, the point is to have fun and get ready for the big game!

Learn more about this author, Biloxi Von Lutz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.