USA Today's Great American Tailgate

The USA TODAY Great American Tailgate is a one-of-a-kind fan experience that brings together football, food, and tradition during a celebrated week of professional football’s highest honors.

This multi-day celebration invites fans to gather on a historic campus and enjoy iconic tailgate-inspired dishes representing teams from across the country, immersive entertainment, and a festival atmosphere that captures the spirit of America’s favorite sport. Presented in partnership with Pro Football Hall of Fame and Sugardale Fan Fest — designed to create unforgettable memories where legendary moments, bold flavors, and shared fandom come together in the heat of football history!

The USA TODAY Great American Tailgate is open to all Fan Fest attendees and is not an exclusive or enclosed event. Guests are welcome to explore the USA TODAY Great American Tailgate throughout the event. We encourage everyone attending Sugardale Fan Fest to walk through the Tailgate area to check out the NFL-inspired food offerings and experience the atmosphere. The USA TODAY Great American Tailgate is located within the Sugardale Fan Fest footprint, making it easy for guests to move freely between Fan Fest activities and Great American Tailgate throughout their visit.

There are two ways for guests to enjoy the food:

Passport Tastings:
Guests can purchase tasting passports in 6-, 16-, or 32-sample quantities.Passports are valid for the entire duration of the event and are not day-specific, so guests may use the same passport across multiple days until all samples have been redeemed.

À la carte Full-Size Meals:
Guests may also purchase full-size menu items without purchasing a passport. Full-size meals are purchased using individual food tickets available on-site. Each item requires a specific number of tickets. For example, the Los Angeles Street Corn is 7 tickets, while the Houston Brisket Nachos are 15 tickets.

Complete pricing and package information will be displayed on signage throughout The Great American Tailgate.

We encourage guests to purchase tasting passports online in advance for convenience, but passports will also be available for purchase on-site. A la carte food tickets are available exclusively on-site. Both tasting passports and a la carte food tickets can be purchased at the USA TOAY Great American Tailgate Ticket & Information Tent, located at the entrance to the event.

For visitors who are unsure what to expect, we recommend they come hungry and plan to spend some time exploring. The USA TODAY Great American Tailgate features food inspired by NFL cities from across the country, giving guests the opportunity to sample regional specialties or enjoy full-size versions of their favorites while taking in the excitement of Enshrinement Week and Sugardale Fan Fest.