KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
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Kansas City Chiefs fans are back at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.
On Thursday, as the gates opened an hour early, the tailgates were in full swing.
Fans often drive in trailers or buses filled with living room setups, couches, TVs, bathrooms, DJ sets, and enough BBQ to feed a small army.
But one tailgate is like no other, because not only is Rod Herrenbruck’s tailgateTikTok famous, but he offers tips and tricks to his 90,000 followers to help others who tailgate.
“I’ve been waiting all year for this game, I’m in line and I've got about an hour and a half before the gates open, can’t wait to tailgate,” said Herrenbruck in one social media video with hundreds of thousands of views.
Herrenbruck gives tips and tricks on how to weigh down a tent, prevent a flagpole from scratching a vehicle, and recipes for dip, sausages and drinks.
No matter what season, no matter who the Kansas City Chiefs play, Herrenbruck never misses the chance to share his tailgating hacks.
“I hope people see the Average Joe and no matter where you come from or what you do, what team you're for, when you’re tailgating with family and friends, you can all kind of come together, forget about the rest of the world and enjoy life,” he said.
It’s his family who helps him record the videos—sometimes getting millions of views.
“To be honest it’s so much family fun, I just enjoy it, and I hope people enjoy it," he said. "I didn’t get in it to be famous but it is kind of nice when people in the stadium come up to you and say hey I appreciate your video or I tried your recipe or your tip. My daughter says, 'Dad it’s really not about football, it’s about family and tailgating.'”
Herrenbruck says he’s got 30 years' worth of tailgate recipes and set-up hacks he’ll keep sharing—things to make life a little easier on his social media accounts @tailgatinwithrod.
So while the players have their game plan on the field, his game plan and slogan is to "tailgate on."
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