The Day of Games – Leagues, Gear, Awesome times.

Have you had a chance to enjoy an MLS tailgate yet??  Get out there and support your local soccer team – and get there EARLY!  Most people associate tailgates with football games, or baseball games, but there is no reason that you can’t grab some beers and a Soccer Tailgate Game (heard of Soccer Bocce??).  If you like the Galaxy or Chivas USA, then grab your LA buddies and show up to the parking lot with time to hang out for a while at the Home Depot Center.  Or if the Seattle Sounders is your squad, you can enjoy Seattle Sounders Tailgating in the NORTH LOT at Qwest Field (Tailgating is only permitted on the East side of the North Lot only).  What are the requirements for an enjoyable MLS Tailgate?  You need the following:

- Beers
- Food
- Chairs
- Tailgate games (SOCCER BOCCE, see below)
- Music
- A tailgate table

Why Soccer Bocce?  Because there has never been a great gift for those soccer lovers.  It’s a cheap soccer gift and it is also pretty damn unique.  Have you heard of Soccer Bocce?  You can take it to the park, the beach, or anywhere with an open area.  It also works indoors!  The soccer balls in this bocce set are REAL miniature soccer balls.  The set comes with a pump and needle to you can pump up the balls.  Then you can just throw them into the carrying case when you are done.  Soccer Bocce is great for soccer drills, playing in between your soccer games at a tournament, and even experimenting with some indoor bocce!

Back to the MLS tailgtating…  Where do you want to tailgate for your soccer games?  How about these excellent spots: All the games for — Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, DC United, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Sporting Kansas City, Toronto FC, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.  You, your family, and your friends should be tailgating at all these games!

So anyone happen to know the best baseball stadiums for tailgating?  We’ve never really gotten into the baseball tailgating scene and unfortunately the only relevant news that I recall is that Dodger Stadium has a tailgating ban.  Over the past few years the cops have arrested a bunch of people, cracked down on people drinking beers in the parking lot, and there aren’t many tailgate games being played out there in Chavez Ravine.  Meanwhile down in Orange County they have embraced tailgating a little bit more… although there are some pretty strict rules that need to be followed.  Here are the 2011 tailgating rules per the Los Angeles Angels website:

The following is prohibited in the Angel Stadium Parking Lot:

• Alcohol consumption in the parking lot is illegal. AMC 7.16.010.010;
• Selling food or beverages of any kind;
• Preparing food or beverages of any kind where such preparation necessitates the use of an object or practice that is deemed by Angels Baseball to be unsafe, hazardous, or posing a threat of injury to guests, participants, officials, or individuals employed at Angel Stadium.

Tailgating Policies:

• Alcohol consumption in the parking lot is illegal. AMC 7.16.010.010.
• Tailgating is only permitted in general parking (non-preferred) areas (near the Big A, Orangewood, State College and Douglass general parking areas.)
• On-site catering is prohibited. No catering trucks allowed!
• Early entry into the parking lot for tailgating is not permitted. The parking lot opens two-and-one-half (2-1/2) hours prior to the start of the game.

Parking Lot Regulations:

• Parking lot opens two-and-one-half (2-1/2) hours prior to game time
• Angel Stadium opens two (2) hours prior to game time at the Home Plate gate
• No vehicle may occupy more than one parking space. AMC 14.32.140.
• There is no in/out parking.
• General parking is $8/car.
• Vehicles in excess of 20 feet in length will be charged $16.00.
• Park only in a marked stall. Vehicles parked in unauthorized areas will be cited and towed away. AMC 14.32.330.
• Barbecues: Only approved gas/propane units with fuel-valve turn offs. No charcoal allowed. AMC 11.04.095.
• No early entry into the parking lot.
• Alcohol consumption in the parking lot is illegal. AMC 7.16.010.010
• Parking lot closes one (1) hour after the conclusion of the event.
• Overnight parking is prohibited. AMC 14.32.160.
• No selling or soliciting on Angel Stadium of Anaheim property. AMC 4.52.090.
• Unlicensed motorized vehicles are prohibited.
• On-site catering is prohibited.

Is your local stadium Tailgate-Friendly?? Let us know if your favorite team has an awesome tailgating scene.  Email us your story or some pictures!  Or any news about Dodger Stadium tailgating or Anaheim Angels tailgating?

The Day of Games has pretty much covered the games that people play while Tailgating.  What next?  The next logical step is to move into the game room and try and get some new products that are affordable for everyone, fun to play, and familiar to all.  Here are some of our favorites that we are thinking about selling:

Shuffleboard tables
Dartboards
Backgammon sets
Foosball tables
Pool tables

We think we’ve covered most of the Game Room Games that you want inside your Man Cave.  Anything missing?  What’s the best game you’ve ever played in a Game Room? What’s in your ManCave?

These next generation of products are all for indoor play.  But we haven’t forgotten about the outdoors!  As for new products to be played outside…  we are thinking about:

Washers
Paddleball Sets
& some new games that we are inventing!

Stay tuned!

The Day of Games will be taking part in the amazing MEGAGATE festivities in Las Vegas over Super Bowl Weekend!  We will be there specifically for the Bocce portion, but you can also enter tournaments for Cornhole, Washers, Polish Horseshoes, Ladder Toss, Beer Pong, Flip Cup, and some other great games.  You can sign up for any game you want… if you only want to play Cornhole, then just sign up for that, or if you only want Bocce, then just sign up for that, or just Beer Pong, or Ladder Toss, etc. etc.  Tournaments can be registered for “A la carte” or in “Package” deals.   The American Tailgating League has thrown together this pretty spectacular looking weekend which also includes evening parties, and a gigantic Super Bowl viewing party.  This will be one HUGE tailgate weekend.  You know you want to go to Vegas…  Why not Super Bowl weekend?  The Day of Games is a new brand in tailgate games, we’ve got all your gaming gear needs covered when it comes to stuff you want for partying at a tailgate.  Take a look at our products and find someone in your family a great gift for the holidays!   Check out all the details on MEGAGATE!

The Super Bowl is today and people should be out tailgating in full force. What is better than playing tailgate games while waiting for the grill to heat up and filling up those little square in your Super Bowl pool. What games should you be playing today? How about some bocce ball. Not sure what size bocce set to use? Check out this sizing chart which should help out in your bocce decision making.
The size of a bocce ball is measured in millimeters (mm) and across the diameter. They come in all sorts of sizes but the most common are 73mm, 90mm, 100mm, and 107mm. The professionals use 107mm but those are pretty bulky so most backyard players just stick with a 100mm high quality resin bocce ball.
What are these bocce ball things made of?
The standard material of a bocce ball is a poly-resin composite. Have you ever been bowling — its just like that bowling ball you sling down the lane. There are also steel bocce balls that are better known as petanque, and plastic sets that are great for kids or for the beach. Have you tried beach bocce? It rules.

BOCCE BALL LEAGUES:
Bocce leagues are also springing up all over the place. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Denver are just a few of the cities that offer great bocce leagues. The Day of Games has the DogDaze leagues which feature bocce games. Its a great way to meet other people in the area and a great excuse to get outside and enjoy some fresh air.

201o tailgating won’t really get underway until the Fall.  In the meantime, we have a little bit left for NFL Playoffs and then that’s about it.  Tailgating hibernation time.  But as tailgating season enters the cave to sleep through Spring and Summer… we can enjoy the sunshine and get fired up for some awesome rec leagues.  Just because you can’t tailgate at the game, doesn’t mean that you can’t play tailgate games and enjoy a beer or two.  The DogDaze Leisure Sports Leagues are starting in a couple months and sign-ups will start really soon.  Get some friends together and enter as a team, or just join solo and meet some new people.  There aren’t too many cornhole leagues out there, probably just as many as there are bocce leagues or frisbeer leagues.  The DogDaze leagues will give you everything you want.  Bocce, Cornhole, Disc Golf, Ladder Toss, and even some random games like Croquet, Beach Golf, Shotput, Football Toss, Limbo, and other outdoor games.  The focus on a quality beer league mentality is important.  These leagues are to have a great time and then head to a bar to enjoy some beers and cocktails.  This isn’t exactly sloshball or kickball… it’s better.  More games, more people, and a local bar to go hang out at after the games are played.

The Spring 2010 season is starting soon so sign up now!  Los Angeles (areas: Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Hollywood, Playa del Rey, Culver City), San Diego (Pacific Beach, PB), San Francisco (the marina, russian hill, north beach, the mission, nob hill, richmond, haight, soma), Portland (northwest, goose hollow, arlington heights, hillside, sylvand highlands, pearl, downtown), Seattle (the U, university, queene anne, capitol hill, olympic hills, green lake, fremont, madison park), Denver (speer, baker, lincoln park, wash park, washington park, belcard, cherry creek, congress park, cbd, chessman park), Chicago (wicker park, old town, gold coast, river north, river west, bucktown, lakeview, wrigleyville, loop, logan square), Dallas (university park, highland park, glencoe, greenland hills, vickery place, lakewood, lower greenville, junius heights, m streets), Miami and New York (Manhattan, upper east side, upper west side, central park, midtown west, midtown east, murray hill, chelsea, gramercy, greenwich village, east village, soho, lower east side, tribeca)

TAILGATE GAMES: You NEED them!

Football - If you are heading to a football game, this will get you in the right mindset.  NFL games are great, college games are awesome, but what about the little football game you can play while waiting for your meat to finish up on the grill. 2 hand touch, tackle, whatever.  Just play football before watching football.

Cornhole (Bags) – Throw the bean bag into the hole.  Too damn easy.  If it’s so easy why doesn’t the bag go in every time!?  Cornhole is amazing at tailgates because its something children can play, drunk college kids can stumble through, and even grandpa tailgater can join the fun.  Most home-made sets are 2ft x 4ft but there are also short-board cornhole sets that are lighter and easier to transport.  The cornhole bags each weigh about 1 pound and are filled with whole-kernel corn.  Cornhole games can get intense due to the scorekeeping, so be prepared to battle.

Bocce - Heave big ball at little ball.  Well, the big balls are called Bocce Balls and the little white one is called a Pallino.  Bocce games are great at tailgates since it’s so easy to play bocce with one hand, and hold your beer with the other.  A good tailgate set is probably a lighter version so that it doens’t hit anyone in the legs and inflict some damage.  100mm Bocce Balls are a good size.  Don’t tailgate today without a bocce set in your vehicle.

Horseshoes - Tough for crowded tailgates, but if you are on a nice spread out lawn… set up the shoes!  Horseshoes is one of the ultimate leisure sports so it has to be played at tailgates when possible.  Keep your horseshoe throws under control and keep an eye on the stakes.  Don’t set this game up near drunk people who may fall over into the field of play.  Enjoy a horseshoe game the next time you go tailgating.

Ladder Toss - What a great tailgate game.  It has a zillion names (ladder balls, hillbilly horseshoes, hillbilly golf, testicle toss, lasso golf, redneck golf, dingle balls, chinese golf, monkey golf, monkey balls, beer nuts, and even a trademarked version – ladder golf).  Many people have followed “build your own ladder toss” instructions and have created some pretty good sets.  The tough part is generally the golf balls to create the Bolas.  Ladder Toss is great at tailgates because it is a relatively new tailgate game so people love coming over and giving it a shot, or at least watching your game.  If you enjoy an audience and exploring new lawn games – give ladder toss a try.

Beersbee - Another new-comer to the tailgate scene.  This game also has a few names (Beersbee, beersbie, frisnock, beerzbee, beer frisbee).  It is pretty simple to play, all you need is a frisbee (ultimate disc) and a couple of sticks.  If you want an official set you can buy one here of course.  Otherwise you just place some cans on some sticks and try to knock them over.  I don’t want to get into the beersbee rules here, so you will have to read all about it another time.  Perfect tailgate game to play!  The ultimate disc can be used outside of the beersbee game just to toss around and have a great time.  It can also be played all over the tailgate area and it fits nicely in the back of your shirt so you can just waltz right in the stadium.  Try and hide a football in your shirt and you will understand!

Beer Pong - The old beer pong tailgating is starting to migrate from the college ranks up to the pro-tailgating scene.  Cups, beer pong balls, a beer pong table and beer.  So easy.  No excuses as to why you don’t have beer pong at your tailgate.  Beer Pong tables are now foldable!  They fit right in the backseat of any car, not just trucks or SUV’s, ANY car.  An 8ft table will fold up to 2 ft.  Amazing.  Where has the foldable beer pong table been my whole life!?  Well, I am glad it’s here now and beer pong tailgating is officially here to stay. You don’t need any beer pong rules, just throw the little beer pong ball into the cups.  Drink.  Repeat.

Koozies and Openers - I know koozies (can coolers) and bottle openers are not a tailgate game, but you need to be able to open drinks and then keep them cold while you are playing games… so get them!  Or better yet… koozies and an opener come FREE with every Day of Games purchase of game gear.  So you are set. Lucky DOG.