Market Basket: Much more than a party

Most studies and stories about football tailgating tend to focus on the obvious: pregame parties and alcohol consumption.

You can easily find "ultimate guides" discussing how to deck out your vehicle, lay out and set up tables and televisions in the parking lot, and prepare the best dogs, dips and drinks for friends, family or corporate clients.

But after visiting hundreds of tailgate parties during the past two full Notre Dame football seasons, University of Notre Dame marketing professor and cultural anthropologist John Sherry completed what is being called "first-of-its-kind" research examining this game-day tradition.

Sherry and his co-author, Tonya Bradford, found consumers of all ages actively involved in community-building, nurturing family tradition that often dated back a generation or two, and contributing to the university brand.

In other words, they found that tailgating is more than just a party.

To read the entire article visit: Much more than a party.

This article also appeared on KTLA.com Los Angeles.

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