The Most Inclusive Tailgate in the Big Ten — Michigan's Spot 9 | Joey Mortiere

The Big House holds 107,000 people. Ann Arbor becomes one of the largest cities in Michigan on game day. And Spot 9 Tailgate has been hosting in the shadow of it all since 2007 — named after a parking spot they refused to give up even when the lot reassigned them to spot 14.

Joey Mortiere, owner of Spot 9 Tailgate, joins Luke to talk about growing up going to Michigan games as a kid, how the tailgate evolved from a one-tent setup to a full trailer with two 60-inch TVs and a roof deck, and what it actually means to host fans from Fresno State, USC, and everywhere in between at the most famous stadium in America. Plus: the time Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons showed up, and Eli Manning's undercover Chad Powers moment in between tailgates. Note: This episode contains explicit language.

What we cover: The origin of the Spot 9 name (they stole the sign back) · Growing up going to Michigan games — the dad with the Smoky Joe · The full Spot 9 setup — trailer, 60-inch TVs, roof deck, scratch food · Why Ann Arbor is a special tailgate destination · Hosting guests from all over the country through Tailgate Connect · When Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons visited · The Eli Manning / Chad Powers moment

Transcript

Intro

Luke 0:00

Welcome back to the Tailgate Connect Podcast. I'm your host, Luke Lorick with Tailgating Challenge. I love tailgating. I have been to a tailgate in Michigan thanks to our next guest, Mr. Joey with Spot Nine Tailgating. He does it big up there. They have some new toys and fun coming your way for this season. You can want to listen to learn more about this very fun and interesting Michigan Tailgate. No doubt, no doubt. So you are an avid tailgator, like with Tailgate Connect. Yes, sir. The host is it is it every home game you all do there at Spot Nye Tailgating?

Tailgating is fun — let's talk about it

Joey 1:28

Every home game. We've been doing it for about, I mean, I'd known Dan, uh the founder of Tailgate Connect for gosh, probably going on five, six, maybe even seven years at this point. Um, and we've, you know, he got us kind of uh into the loop there. And yeah, we've been doing it, you know, religiously probably the past like three years, uh, every home game, unless, you know, unless we're not there. Uh, but yeah, every home game. So, but we're very rarely not there. Yeah, I mean, why wouldn't you be?

The origin of the name — they stole the spot 9 sign back

Luke 1:55

Tailgating is fun. It's like we all want to be there. We're gonna be tailgating right now. But uh we can we can talk about it. So spot nine. So I think some people are going to know like, where'd you come with the name with? Like, is it as simple as saying this was actually spot nine, like in the lot?

Joey 2:07

Yeah, it's it's a funny story. Uh, I mean, it's not really funny, it's it's just kind of uh it's it's kind of it's kind of a a different story. So yeah, our very so we started tailgating like in 2007, about I would say, and and our original spot up in Pioneer uh high school in Ann Arbor was spot nine. Uh it was a little tiny spot on the hill. We was up up on a hill. So we always called our spot the the hill nine is kind of kind of what we called ourselves and how people referred to us. And uh the very next year, you know, all of our friends, oh, we'll meet you at spot nine, like the very next year of the year after they changed us to spot 14. And we were like, screw that, we're still spot nine. So we actually went and like ripped off spot like the spot nine sign and put it back on our spot that that next year. So like we we were always spot nine. Uh and it just kind of twinkled down and it confuses a lot of people, like, why you're you're spot like 48 or something. I don't know. Like it's just like the Big Ten. There's 17 teams in the Big Ten, and they call themselves the Big 10s. We're spot nine, even though we're spot 75 or whatever. So that's that's kind of that's kind of how that's that that evolved.

Famous Michigan hockey number nines

Luke 3:07

That that is fair. And and given the Big Ten uh analogy you use right there, I'm like, you're just doing exactly what everybody else in the conference is doing, but you're doing it with the tailgator, right?

Joey 3:16

Exactly, yeah. It's and it's stuck. And and you know, being from you know the the state of Michigan, there's there's a lot, or uh the like being from the University of Michigan, like we love Michigan hockey too, and there's a lot of famous number nines, like Brendan Morrison was number nine, Red Baronson, hockey thing, but they're they were all number nine, so it kind of just stuck, and and that's what we're rolling with.

Growing up in Plymouth — halfway between Detroit and Ann Arbor

Luke 3:36

That's fair. That's fair. So tell me this. Like, I always like to know about like what creates that passion because I know you're passionate about tailgating. Like, what was it to be like? What sparked that passion? Was it an early age? Was it something when you were in school? Like, what was it that sparked it?

Luke visited Spot 9 for National Tailgating Day

Joey 3:51

So for us, it was you know, growing up. We we we grew up in a town called Plymouth, which is halfway between Detroit and Ann Arbor, uh, closer to Ann Arbor. We we grew up going to Michigan football games. Like we weren't always tailgating, but we always saw it, even we were we were young too. We'd my dad would set up a car with a little smoky joe behind it. We'd play catch with a football in a church parking lot. Um, and you know, we always like, oh, this is so cool, all these big setups. And uh, I'm not sure if you met my my cousin Jerry, but he gave us he he started tailgating uh at the original spot 90s. He just like, you know, I'm by myself with my you know, with my just a smaller family, and like we'd we'd love to kind of link you link up and tailgate with you guys. So we were like, Yeah, it sounds awesome. And then we got season tickets back, you know, in 06, 07. Um, and you know, my dad is a big into cooking. We kind of caught that bug from him. So like, you know, scratch food out there, you know, we started just really small. I mean, just one pop-up tent and and a couple chairs, you know. We never had the TV a couple years in. Oh, let's get a TV. And then it just, it's an addiction, right? You know it. Like you keep getting the trinkets, you keep getting everything, you keep building it up, and uh it just grew into what it is today, which is a it's a pretty, you know, it's a pretty major setup. And uh this will be the first year we actually got like a huge big ass trailer with with two 60-inch TVs in it, a roof deck. I mean, it it's truly uh uh a good addiction. It's fun. You know, we we really get to, you know, it's it's fellowship, it's it's seeing my friends from high school, from college, all come into one spot. And it's it's kind of um, you know, something that it's evolved but hasn't changed, right? It's kind of a stable that everyone likes to do. So tailgating, just you know, for us it's about bringing people together, eating good food, having a cocktail, and hopefully watching the Wolverines win a football game.

Luke 5:28

Hopefully, hopefully, right? So, like I I had the privilege and opportunity to meet you and good and come to Spot Nine Tailgating last season for National Tailgating Day. But for those that are listening right now, they're thinking about like, hey, I need to go check out Spot 9. The tailgate connect's got those tailgating tickets for me to come up there. Like, what can they expect? What are they gonna expect aside from your bright, shiny, happy face with tailgating?

Joey 5:52

Um, I think like, you know, we always say everyone's welcome at spot nine, right? Like, that's what's so cool about tailgate connect. Like, it really gives people the opportunity to like fully immerse themselves, eat our food, drink our drinks, hang out with us, hang out and use our amenities. Like, you know, it's it's really an opportunity to say, hey, like you're part of this tailgate, right? Like you're you're you're you're in, you're our friend, like you're here to party. As long as you're cool, we're cool. Like we've we've out of all the years we've been doing Tailgate Connect, we've never had a bad guest. Everyone's been super cool. And it's about forming, you know, making friends, forming relationships like from all over the country, right? Like we had people in from Fresno State last year, USC, like we're meeting people from all over um and we're sharing the experience that is Michigan football, right? Not too many colleges. I mean, you know, there's a lot of big colleges, but Ann Arbor's a special town. It's it's it's something different. Um, I mean, the big house is is something different, like and being able to come experience that like on the ground level and see you know what we do every week, um, it's special, right? Michigan's a special place. And I think share being able to share that opportunity with people around the country, like you come to spot nine, you're gonna get the real experience, you're gonna get a premium experience. Um, and and you're not gonna have to do much, right? You're gonna just have to come show up. So it's it's pretty cool for people. I I, you know, we we love we love hosting people. I think we're gonna even host more people this year. Um, and I guess that's just it's just a great opportunity to see what tailgating in Ann Arbor should be and and what it is.

High-end, exclusive experience — open to everyone

Luke 7:10

Yeah, I think you said I like to call it easy button tailgating, right? Because I I just showed up and it's like you all had the games, the food, the drinks, the TV, like everything was going, right? And I just had to show up and like enjoy myself.

Joey 7:24

Right, exactly. Yeah, we and you know, and like I said, like and we're too, like, you know, since we started doing this, like we really keep it to like we want to keep it a high-end exclusive, like not like exclusive experience, because you know, we are, you know, pretty cool to everyone who comes by. But you know, we they're you know, for tailgate connect, you're paying customer. We want to make sure you're having a great time and a good experience, right? Like, we're not like other tailgates where you're just gonna get a hot dog and a bottled water, like you're gonna get a full immersive experience at Spot Nine.

Luke 7:49

Wait, did you say a box of water? Did I hear that correctly?

Joey 7:51

A hot dog and a bottled water.

Luke 7:53

You know, a bottle of water. I mean, I didn't know. I was like, maybe do we downgrade from a bottle to a box of water? I think you know, like what do we have after the game when you were there, Luke? Do you remember? I do remember, and I was gonna bring that up because like the the we had some of the thickest steaks I have ever seen at any tailgate I've been to after the game. Not the pregame where everybody's excited and all this stuff, but after the game. And it, I mean, honestly, it was it was a tough game, right? For Michigan that day. I do I do remember that. That wasn't, but yeah, like y'all still brought the fun and the party even after the game.

Joey 8:27

A 14 ounce filet mignon can make anything better, even a even a Wolverine's uh loss.

Luke 8:32

No, and 14-inch filet mignon or cold beer, like I hey, whatever. Whatever, whatever.

Joey 8:37

Exactly, exactly. Yeah, but that's that's the experience, right? Like we have great food. Like, and we try and theme our game. Something cool we try and do is like we do look at who we're playing and see if there's something cool we can theme it around. Like for when Maryland comes into town, we've done like crab boy, you know, crab cakes, crab boils. Uh, when when Chicago's in town, we'll do like Italian beefs and Chicago style hot dogs or not uh or north wouldn't northwesterns in town. Um so we try and we we will try and like theme it about the team that's coming into town and then you know try and make it cool that way as well.

Zero bad guests ever through Tailgate Connect

Luke 9:06

So uh in that spirit, that was really where my next question was. It's like, because there might be some people that are listening to this like, I'm coming to a Michigan gate, but I'm not a Michigan fan. Like, can I or should I come to this tailgate? Like, what does that look like with opposing fans coming to your tailgate?

Joey 9:21

Yeah, as long as you're cool, we're cool. All right, we had like, I think, I mean, for the most part, people we get from Tailgate Connect are like opposing fans. We had like 15 people from Fresno State at our tailgate the first game. Like, would have never thought that was gonna happen, but they ended up being some of the some of the coolest people we've tailgated with all year. Um, so we're we're totally like, you know, again, it's it's all about camaraderie college football, hanging out, eating good food, having good cold cocktails, and you know, enjoying your day. So that's that's what we're about, right? Um, and if you're if you're if you're an asshole, we're gonna put we'll let you know. Don't worry.

90% zero issues — some great stories from the 10%

Luke 9:52

That's fair. And I'm still a believer. One of the reasons I love tailgate so much is that I feel like it brings people together. And while there's going to be, you know, an oddball or bad apple in the bunch, most people, regardless of who you're cheering for, like the pregame, everybody's there to have a good time.

Joey 10:07

Yeah, 100%. Like uh I would say like 90% of the time we have zero issues at our tailgate, right? It's it's some of the big games, right? What you would anticipate, like like Michigan State and Ohio State. Like, of course, there's gonna be chirping back and forth across, but even so, like we had Michigan State people at our tailgate this year, and like they were super cool. We were super it's all about, you know, it's all about just being respectful, showing, you know, being being a good person, being a good sport, and you know, that's that's what college football is about, right? I mean, it is fun to chirp and like a little like a little banter back and forth, like that's that's totally fun, you know. And I would say like 90% of the people like at the stadium, even like they're they're there, they're there with uh, you know, with with good intentions. Um, I can't say that completely about the Ohio State fans, but but for all for all other games where people are there with good intentions.

Line dancing after the game, linebacker's mom joined in

Luke 10:56

Fair, fair. I remember when I was there, it was uh for the Texas game. And I don't know, I don't know if you remember because you were you were in your zone at the time, but there were some Texas ladies that came by. Yeah. And they were in the full like cowboy, cowgirl get up, and then you put on some Texas music and you started getting out there just dancing with.

Joey 11:15

I think we were line dancing, yeah. I remember after, I think it was one of the one of the one of the linebackers' moms or something. I was like, it's all again, it's all about having fun, right? Come like I because if because if I was in Austin or if I was, you know, some somewhere else, I'd I'd want to have the same experience. I'd I'd want people to be cool back. So that's that's kind of the spirit we bring at our at our tailgate.

Luke 11:33

No doubt. It sounds like you're hitting all the home games, so people can hit you up to come to any of the home games that are coming up. Yes, sir. Now, let me ask you this: do you go on the road? Do you travel for Michigan games or just travel for any other like tailgates that you that you do?

Joey 11:48

Yeah, yeah, we do a lot of road game travel. Um we we don't often bring our tailgate on the road. We we would, you know, leverage tailgate connect for that, uh if if there's one at the stadium. But we have we have taken our tailgate on the road a few times. I you I remember my favorite, I if I can, if I can just tell a quick story about, and and this is about my brother Jake, which he's kind of a legend at Spot Nine. We were tailgating um at Northwestern uh in Evanston. We were right on the side of the road. If you've tailgated there before, like you can just get a meter and set up your tent and start tailgating. Uh, and it was freezing cold. So we were on the side of the road, a rainy day, like you know, in the northern suburbs of Chicago, everyone was huddled up underneath the tent. Uh and we have space heaters in there, and we're all we're all huddling around on, you know, and and this is an away game, right? Like we only have we only have what we have on us, uh, and everyone starts smelling like smoke, and what's going on? And and all of a sudden my brother's like, ah, he was standing so close to the heater, his butt lit on fire. And my video on that. Yeah, and my dad's drinking a jack and coke, and he just goes right on his butt, puts the fire out, and he goes, All right, we're good to go.

Luke 12:54

Man, I did not know that story when I went when I met him, but that is a classic that you'll never forget. I'm sure.

Traveling even when your team isn't playing

Joey 13:00

We'll never forget that one. Yeah, but we're we're always tailgating on the road. We're always looking for an opportunity to meet people, hang out. Um, this year we're going to the Oklahoma game, so I think we're gonna hit up uh the Tailgate Connect in Norman. Uh we're gonna be on the road. Michigan's playing at Wrigley Field when they play Northwestern, so that'll be cool. We're going to that game. Uh and we might go to Nebraska. So there's there's a few on our on our docket this year, and uh, you know, we're always there to kind of celebrate the local uh the local culture.

Luke 13:25

Agreed. That that's why I love to travel. Like I said, even if my team's not playing, like just going and just like seeing the culture, having some fun. Sometimes it's better if the team's not playing because it's like you ain't really worried about nothing at that point, right?

Top Big Ten tailgates — #3 Michigan State (sarcastically)

Joey 13:38

Exactly. Yeah, 100%. Like if your team's and that's you know, that's kind of our mindset. Like, we're doing this to have fun. Like, you gotta, and it's tough to do, right? But like if you're traveling, you're spending a lot of money to go watch Michigan football play, and like they're not having a great year, you gotta make the most out of the tailgate, right? That's that's the way you gotta look at it.

Big Ten rankings — Michigan State is a dump

Luke 13:54

So tell me this. So it sounds like you've traveled around a little bit to some different venues. Yeah. Give me the top three. Like the top three, in your opinion, that you've been to uh for the tailgating aspect.

Can go bowling at Michigan State

Joey 14:05

Sure. Um, I'm gonna stick within the big ten here because that's kind of uh kind of my domain. Um number three is Michigan allowed to be on the list or no? No, Michigan cannot be on. We already know that's gonna be your number one, right? Okay, yeah. Okay, so number three is Nebraska. I think Nebraska is awesome. I think um I think their fans are super friendly. It's a cool stadium. Um, tailgating scene was huge. Uh, they deserve a better football team, so I hope Nebraska can can get there. Number two is Penn State. Uh it's not for everyone, and it's not for me to go every year because it's a lot. Going to Happy Valley is a lot, and there's not many hotels, and you're tailgating in a pasture and you are getting drunk all day. Like that's all there is to do in Happy Valley. I've been there, done that. I was gonna RB. Yeah, yeah. So you get it, you get it. Like I we stay at a bowling alley when we go to Happy Valley. All the Marriottes sell out like a year in advance, and we found this like, and I probably shouldn't say this because it's a secret, but whatever, it's out there now. There's like a small hotel like in a bowling alley at Happy Valley, and I forget the name of it, but for everyone listening, look it up if you're ever going to Happy Valley, and it's like 170 bucks a night. And you if you know anything about Happy Valley, it's usually like $800 a night to get a hotel, and it's it's nothing special, it's like a it's like a Motel 6, but it gets the job done. It's close to Beaver Stadium.

Semi-good shitty bowling alley pizza — a bonus

Luke 15:26

And you can go bowling, it's actually.

Keeping it real

Joey 15:28

And you can go bowling, and they have like kind of semi-good, shitty bowling alley pizza, so that's a bonus tip. Um, and number one, since I can't pick Michigan, and this is gonna come to a shock, Columbus is awesome. Like, we've had some of the best times that I've had tailgating. And maybe it's just because of the game and it's because of the atmosphere, and it's because of the chirping back and forth and getting in fights on high street with all my friends. But like we've had a lot of good times in Columbus. And I mean, as much as I hate to say it, and they probably I mean, you know, they wouldn't probably say it because of, you know, they're Ohio State fans, but um it's just a great atmosphere. I mean, the horseshoe is incredible, like it's it's loud, it rocks. I mean, it and I'm a Michigan fan, I'm a Michigan homer, but the big house is a lot different, right? It's spread out, it's not as loud, it's it's more of a roaring crowd where you're right on top of it at the horseshoe, and it's it's it's a it's an electric atmosphere. And I know I'll get a lot of shit from my Michigan friends for saying that, but those who have been, they'll know. Yeah.

Other smaller Big Ten schools are great

Luke 16:24

Hey, yeah, I mean, it's all about keeping it real, right? Yeah, you used to ride if this is a good experience in a good venue, it's a good venue, right? Still might not like the team and still want to beat them, but it can still like you can, you know, respect real, right?

What's the worst tailgate Joey's experienced?

Joey 16:35

Yeah, I mean, I I think it's great. I mean, and all the other smaller schools are great too. Like we've had awesome times in Minnesota, Iowa's a lot of fun. Uh, even Ruckers, there's a great tailgate connect host out there. Um, there's a fun tailgating scene at Ruckers, uh, and you're close to the city, right? So you can just take the train in. So, you know, there's there's so many fun spots. It's it's hard to pick the top three, but I think, you know, I think those are are are pretty good lock for my non-Michigan top three.

Michigan State — horrible scene, stadium is a dump

Luke 16:59

All right. So this next question, I thought I knew the answer, but based on one of your answers there, I don't know. So let me ask you this is there a place you would never, ever, ever, ever go back and tailgate again.

Joey 17:13

Um There's some Yeah, you'll Michigan State has a horrible tailgating scene. It's just not fun. The stadium's a dump. Like uh Spartan Stadium is a cement concrete block. I think it's a dump. Um the tailgating scene's fine. Like, you know, it's around the stadium. The the atmosphere lacks, they have a lot of weird like drinking restrictions and stuff, and it's it's changed over the years. I just I don't need to go back there. Um, Michigan State is what it is. They've had a good program, like one good team in the last 20 years, and they're riding that high, thinking, you know, they're still relevant, which it's fine. Like they have a new coach, maybe they will be. But the the idea, um, to you know, it's it's an hour, you know, at least Lance's an hour and a half from my house. I've I've been once, I don't ever plan on going back.

Luke 17:58

So So I was gonna say, tell me how you really feel, but I feel like you told us how you really feel about it.

If forced to pick Ohio State or Michigan State — Ohio State

Joey 18:04

You know, it's it is what it is, right? Like there's always gonna be that rivalry in the state. Um, like I said, they had some good years with DeAntonio. Um, hopefully, you know, this, you know, this this decade they might have another good year, but we'll see, right? Like I yeah, just time will tell.

Keeping it in the state

Luke 18:19

So I I feel like this wasn't on my agenda to ask you, but after hearing this, I was like, if Michigan State and Ohio State played each other, who are you cheering for? Nah. You have to pick one.

Columbus is a fun town

Joey 18:30

I have to pick one. I'll keep it in the state. I'm not going that far.

Luke 18:34

Okay, okay. Because you put Ohio State as a as a good place to tailgate and just put Michigan State down here, which I thought it might be like.

Joey 18:42

No, because the horseshoes, I mean, like it's a I mean, Columbus is just a fun town too. Like, uh, like it the horseshoes are unique, you know, it's not like any other you know I mean you've been there, right? They have the tailgating right outside the stadium, then you're kind of right into the city, right? You're on the parking decks, you're you're kind of like up on by the bars, like it's just and Columbus is just they got great breweries, great food. Um, so I I do try and separate those two things, you know. It's it's tough, but I've had some good times in Columbus. What can I say? Like it's it's you know, it it's it's a good now, good food, good town. I mean, most like I said, the the people who are, you know, who are level headed, I think, and I'm not always level-headed, so I have no room to speak, but it it's it's it's uh it's a it's uh it's an environment that makes a fun college football game. Let's just leave it there.

Luke 19:28

Fair. Yeah. All right, tell me this. What's the strangest event you've ever tailgated for?

Fat Tuesday tradition explained

Joey 19:35

Strangest event that I've ever tailgated for. Huh. Man, that's a tough question. I I don't think this is strange, but a fun fact, I've I've been to 16 Jimmy Buffett concerts and I've tailgated for every single one of those. Um, I'm with it. That's the first thing that comes. But the strangest event. Oh, I know. You're gonna like this. So in we're in Detroit, I'm Polish, there's a huge Polish uh community uh in Detroit. And one of our our big days is is you know, Fat Tuesday. Fat that's the the day before Ash Wednesday when Lent starts. Um and it there's a big Polish uh kind of enclave in in the city of Detroit called Ham Tramic. It's like a city within a city. Uh and and Fat Tuesday in Detroit is referred to as Poonchki Day. Uh that's when that's a donut that's filled with like jelly. For for those of you who don't know, it's like a okay. I did not know. I never heard of that until just now. A Poonchki it's it's a it's a donut filled with jelly. And there's a huge party downtown Detroit every year uh on Fat Tuesday for when all the bakeries open up and they start selling Poonchkies. Uh we've tailgated uh for Poonchki Day on Fat Tuesday before in Ham Trambock in Detroit.

Luke 20:39

I would say that's a little that's different, right? That's supported to it's just a little bit different. So I like that. Yep.

Joey 20:44

Yeah, yeah. So you're supposed to get all so the the the Fat Tuesday is Fat Tuesday because you're supposed to get all your sin out before Lent starts, right? So all you're drinking. The Poonchkies are like 2,000 calories apiece. You're supposed to like gorge yourself. So yeah, so we figured why not let's tailgate. You know?

Good space and good attitude — analytical but correct

Luke 20:59

Yeah, no, I mean that actually goes hand in hand, I guess, depending on how you tailgate, but uh I'm with it. All right. So uh tell me one thing every tailgate needs to be successful. For those listening that are maybe just new to setting up tailgates or trying to get some tips, what's that one thing you would say, if you do this or have this, you're setting up for success?

Joey 21:19

Um this is kind of like an an like a like a very analytical answer, but you gotta have a good space and a good attitude, right? So one a lot of tailgates that I've been to that are are not good are the ones that are like in weird spots with with no space to set up, right? Like that sets the foundation for a good tailgate. Like do your time, do your research, and just find a good spot, right? That's close perimeter of the stadium, you know, in a good kind of like a neighborhood, a good neighborhood, right? With with cool people around you. Um, and then the second is like having a good attitude. Like, you know, you we've met some people who are always like, oh, you're cringing in my space, or that's my parking spot, or that, you know, like you know what I'm talking about, Luke. Like, like it's gonna happen, right? You're taking Killgating with a hundred thousand people. Everyone's like, just go like solve your issues, right? Like be friendly to your neighbors. Uh, that's that's kind of uh kind of the first step, I think. I think if you if you can go in there and say, okay, I'm gonna I'm friendly, I got my spot, and I'm just gonna go make friends, you'll have a good time. And and keep keep your beer cold.

Battle Toss — the Plinko-style game

Luke 22:18

I like that one as well, too. Yep. All right, tell me this. What is the best tailgating game? What's your favorite one to play right now?

New company brought it back with upgrades

Joey 22:25

I just got it. It's called uh Battle Toss. We're we're loving it over here. For those of you who've never played it, I think it's new. You might know better than me. I don't know how how new it is. Um it's new-ish, new came back out.

Doesn't take much space, containable, quick to learn

Luke 22:36

It got reinvented and purchased by a new company, and they brought it out with some new um upgrades that made it even better.

Joey 22:42

Okay, so one thing that we like in a tailgating game is it doesn't take up a lot of space. Uh, it's containable, it's quick, and it's fun, right? So, like it's Battletoss, for those of you who don't know, it's kind of like Connect 4, but you're throwing these little foam golf balls like into a net, and they're like a little bit of like a I don't even know, like a cornhole connect four combo. I don't know if you have a better idea, but it's it's it's gonna say Plinko as well, too, because it's like where it bounces down. Yeah, Plinko as well. Um, and it's just you know, it it folds up into like maybe you know, two feet tall, about that, you know, like a couple inches wide. Um, there's a nice storage space for all the little foam golf balls. It's it's just super uh super easy to transport. And like I said, it goes quick. You're not standing there for 20 minutes, you know, watching your your beer get warm while you're playing a game. Um, we we love it. Uh obviously we love cornhole. Uh we got ramps, which is another new game. It's kind of like skee ball and and uh beer pond. Like that's that's an awesome game. Um yeah, but we're you know, we're always testing new ones and finding ones we like. We have some uh custom spot nine cornhole boards which have kind of uh been with us for the last 20 years. So we're we're always setting those up. Yeah, just a ton of different games, variety, and we we bring out different games for different tailgates. So that's it's it's a cool uh cool little thing we do.

The flaming cheese — saganaki Greek cheese

They yell "Opa!" and light it on fire

Luke 23:59

Excellent. I'm I'm a big fan of games, so I'd love to know that too. I know other people are gonna want to know what's your favorite. We talked about cooking some big, big steaks, but what is your favorite thing to eat at a tailgate? Personally, personally.

Joey 24:12

Oh god, you're gonna think this is so lame. Um, we cook a lot of good food, like a lot of really good food. Like, you know, we bring deep friers. My favorite thing, though, we have this little hot dog steam but like steamer, like steams hot dogs and steams buns. I I am a sucker for like a coney dog. And we'll we got like a pop every game we have a hot dog station that has steamed hot dogs, steamed buns, like Detroit style Coney and mustard and onions. I I just love making myself a Coney dog. Like it is like my favorite, and I'll eat like four of them throughout the day. It is like my we and if you come to Spot 9 you'll see, we constantly just restock the thing. Like it's just constant hot dogs, and so it's you know, if someone wants a snack or whatever, well, you know, the the main entrees are going. But yeah, I love I love hot dogs. Like I am a huge hot dog guy. Um, Dearborn brand, uh Detroit, local Detroit natural case in. Can't beat it, they're the best.

Every size and style

Luke 25:00

I feel like I gotta bring this back up. A minute ago you said our tailgate is different than others. We're not gonna give you a bottle of water and a hot dog, and you're also like, I love some hot dogs. We got a lot of hot dogs with tailgate.

Joey 25:09

So I you're right, but we it's just like a constant thing. We have a hot, we have a what other tailgate have you been to that has a Coney station that never runs out, right?

Spot 9 signature drink — a new tradition

Luke 25:16

You know, um, I haven't been to one of those.

Saganaki — go Google it and try it

Joey 25:19

Right. But we we also do like so my favorite tailgate that's not like my snack, right? Where I'm just you know chain eating hot dogs. Um we do a Greek day every year because one of the guys with tailgate is named Sam, he's uh he's he's a Greek dude, uh big into his Greek heritage. We cook about 15 pounds of lamb chops uh on the grill, seasoned overnight in a homemade seasoning from his uh Greek Orthodox church out in Grand Grand Rapids with lemon and olive oil. They're some of the best lamb chops I personally have ever had. Um and he also brings about five pounds of saganaki. Are you familiar with saganaki? It's like flaming cheese. So it's it's a it's it's a big thing in the so it's it's a breaded cheese that you light on fire and then you eat on pita bread. So we have it's it's it's incredible. Yeah.

Luke 26:06

It sounds like a I want to make the video and try that like right now. It sounds amazing.

One drink only — the Spot 9 signature

Joey 26:10

Yeah, go Google. It's called like they go, Opa, and they like light it on fire. Yeah, it's it's it's awesome. Uh so yeah, that that's my favorite tailgate of the year. We do that once a year. It's kind of a crab shootout. So if you're listening, you want to come to Spot Nine, you don't know when it's gonna be. We don't even know what it's gonna be until like two weeks before. But yeah, we we absolutely, if you like, it's some of the best lamb chops like we'll like I've ever had. So excellent.

Luke 26:32

Now, now what are you gonna wash it down with? You can only have, let's say, let's make it fun. You can only have one alcoholic beverage type for the entire tailgating season. Easy. What would you go with? Easy.

Best tailgate tip — weigh your canopy down

Joey 26:44

Um we have a we we've kind of started uh a new tradition in the last couple years of a of a drink that we make at Spot Nine. Uh, and we call it the Gordy Howe. Uh, if you if you know anything about hockey, Gordy Howe is a Canadian guy from from Canada, played in the Red Wings. So we we've been drinking Canadian Club whiskey. If you're familiar, it's a it's a Canadian whiskey from Windsor. Uh, and we drink it with Fago ginger ale. Fago's a pop or a soda from Detroit. Uh and we call it the Gordy Howe, and that's been like a hit. People love it. Um, and we go through so much Canada Club. Uh, we've we've been we've been we've been drying out our liquor stores around here of their Canada Club. So yeah, it's uh that's our drink of choice. And we I think you know, even my wife will drink it and she doesn't drink whiskey, so it's it's it's very, very, uh, very good. That's actually what I'm drinking right now for those.

Luke 27:35

Okay, but perfect. Yeah, perfect. Yeah. All right. So you kind of gave an example of this a little bit earlier, but I'm gonna, if you have another example for this, so one of the things is I've traveled around different tailgates, like, and I've kind of called I don't know if I came up with it, but it it it resonated in my mind. Instead of tailgating, tailgating, where somebody's doing something that's just an absolute fail at the tailgate. Have you seen is there a failgating experience that you've seen in your tailgating uh journeys? Weigh your tents down.

15 tents down after a rainy game in Pioneer lot

Joey 28:07

Weigh your tents down, your canopies, right? You know the canopies? If you don't weigh those things down, you know how many tents I've seen upside down, mangled with their legs going different directions. That is the biggest failgate. Michigan, we get bad weather, you know, starting. You don't know what Michigan weather is gonna be. One gust comes. You've I've seen it where there are just pile, like literally 15, 20 tents just thrown at the dumpsters because people don't weigh their tents down. I mean, they're mangled, they go every direction. It's I laugh because you know, we we build these big heavy-duty cement weights and we put one on every corner. So when everything's blown around, you know, we we uh we we just kind of watch them go, it's like uh Dorothy and the uh Wizard of Oz just flying around, you know.

Luke 28:47

Yeah, I have a bit of just tents all over the place, utter chaos at the TOA parties.

Joey 28:52

I mean, literally, it's it's it in Pioneers parking lot. Like if after a windy or rainy game, there's probably 15 tents just there. Like I just don't understand, like get a sandbag and just tie it to your tent. Like, you know, like it's it's crazy. Just and we just watch them and we just laugh, like, oh look, there goes another one. I just take them off.

People being stupid with fire — generator inside tent

Luke 29:10

That that also, if you if there was a ton of them going on, that would be a video that people would just be like that would help get the point across of like, hey, do this and don't do that type of thing.

Don't do it

Joey 29:20

And then too, like people uh, you know, people being stupid with fire, right? Kind of like my brother in Northwestern, right? Like, don't stand too close to the fire, you know, make sure your propane tanks are all you know. We we had a big problem at uh at Pioneer with uh generators and propane tanks and how people were storing their generators to the point where they they basically ban generators in certain uh spots where you know people thought it would be okay, I'm gonna enclose my tent and put a generator in there. It's like, uh don't do that. Like it it's it's a serious health concern. So, you know, announcement for everyone don't put a generator inside. It's a bad idea.

Luke 29:52

If you learn nothing else from this episode right here, don't do that.

Joey 29:56

Don't put your generator inside your tent with your walls on.

Yes — dad's a Michigan grad

Luke 29:59

No doubt. All right. So is it fair to say you've been a Michigan fan since basically uh you stepped foot on this earth?

Favorite Michigan player of all time — Denard Robinson "Shoelace"

Joey 30:05

Yeah, yeah, for sure. My dad's uh a Michigan grad. Um I I went to Michigan. My brother, he didn't go to Michigan, but went to Wayne State downtown to try. We're like we're homegrown uh Michigan family, true, true and true. I went to high school in Ann Arbor. Shout out Father Gabriel Richard, uh, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Um, it's it's yeah, we're we're homegrown Michigan uh and and and Wolverine's at heart, pretty sure.

Luke 30:29

Who is your favorite Michigan player of all time?

Shoelace has an open invite to Spot 9

Joey 30:33

Football, right? Um, no, that's such a hard question. I've I have a lot of favorite football players, but my number one, because it's when I was in school, uh, is Denard Robinson. I think Denard. Laces, right? Julace, yeah. I think Denard, um I think Denard had a, you know, he was awesome in college. He was so good. He had a tough time here. He was playing in a time that was, you know, we were down at Michigan, but he was the face of college football at the time, right? Like he was on NCAA, you know, he was on on all the video games. He was on, he was, you know, in the Heisman hunt. And, you know, with any with NIL popping around these days, I I think about Denard a lot. Like he got screwed, man. He would have been a very rich person if he played college football today, except for when he did. You know, and all these guys don't translate to the NFL, right? And and he, you know, he didn't. Um, but yeah, I love Denard. Shout out Shoelace. That he's he was electric to watch. He made every game exciting. Uh, I still think about the throw he made to Round Tree and when we beat Notre Dame. Like it was, you know, in that first under the light game ever at the big house, it was just an ali. I was uh I was, you know, I was basically ready to leave after the second quarter, and Denard made everything interesting. So it's you know, it shot I he made my my college football days back in the day exciting at least. So I he he's my guy.

He's coaching football in Brighton now

Luke 31:48

Is is it fair to say that uh Laces has an open invite to spot nine, tailgate anytime he wants to?

Joey 31:54

Anytime. And from what I understand, he's coaching football uh in Brighton now. So if he watches this shoelace, you got free tickets to spot nine all year.

Luke 32:02

Excellent, excellent. Yeah, all right. So for those that want to come to Spot Nine, wrap us up here, Joey. Tell us like why they need to hit up Tailgate Connect, why they need to come to Spot Nine, go ahead and get those tickets for the home games this season.

Joey 32:15

Well, it we only have six home games. Like again, we make our tailgates. Like, I think we limit it to like 25, uh, 30 extra people. We usually have about, you know, a very crowded day, about 50 people. Um and you'll go to some tailgates that are huge. We keep ours to that size because we want it to be really good. We want to be able to provide an experience that is top-notch, good food, you know, good people. Uh and we're, you know, there's only six home games this year, so we'll be there, but the tickets are probably gonna go fast. And tailgate connect is, you know, it's seamless, right? Like even from the host perspective. I'm a I'm uh, you know, a host, like uh someone who sets up a tailgate, but I'm also a consumer. It's it's just super easy to use. You know, it's you go on, you just find your game and and you buy a ticket. Um and again, you know, you you are paying, right? Like you're paying to come, but you got to think of it as you're not bringing anything. You're you're coming, you're you're having drinks, you're having food, you you just show up, right? You get your parking and you get your you get your ticket to the game and you just walk over to the tailgate. So um it's just it just makes it super easy, especially from you're coming out, you're coming from out of town. Like, you don't even have to worry about stopping at the store. You don't have to go to subway and buy like a crappy sub. Like, come have some good real food, you know? Come get a hot dog. Come get a chili dog and a lamb channel.

Luke 33:24

Oh, good stuff. Tell us one more time. How many, how many people does your tailgate normally hold? Like, what's kind of max capacities?

Outro

Joey 33:30

We keep we like to keep it uh about like tailgate 10 act plus like you know, the the folks who are it's their tailgate where they come to. Uh max capacity is probably about 60, 60 people. And again, we could probably we have a pretty large base, but we we don't want to like make it feel uncomfortable. Like, you know, you you want to be able to sit, watch TV, you want to be able to have a drink, talk to people. Um, and we don't get 60 people all the time, right? Like it depends on the game. Like it it just varies. And if there if it is that crowded, you know, we probably have 30 of those 60 people gather around a beer pong table playing flip cup. So it's just you know, it doesn't feel overcrowded ever. Because again, we we we we charge, you know what we charge. We want to have a premium experience, we want to make sure people are having fun, and and you get what you pay for, right? That's that's the way we look at it.

Luke 34:17

Good stuff. Well, again, this was Joey with Spot Nine Tailgating over there in Michigan. If you are heading to a Michigan game, I highly recommend you check out Spot Nine Tailgating because they do it right. They do it right before the game and they do it right after the game with the uh the post party win, lose, or draw. I can guarantee that based on my experiences there. Joey, it's great to have you on the show this evening, sir.

Joey 34:43

Great to have you too, Luke. We hope to have you to Spot Nine again soon. You got to get you out there.

Luke 34:47

I'm gonna try to make that happen. For everybody else, check out Tailgate Connect for all your tailgating ticket needs for the easy button tailgating. And we hope to see you at a tailgate soon. Tailgate connect, it's all here for you. Food drinking friends under sky so blue. And then we're gonna go.