🏈 Tailgating in West Virginia: A First-Timer’s Game Day

Overview

A British travel-documentary host visits Morgantown, West Virginia, to experience college football culture for the first time. He explores the town, meets locals and former reality-TV cast members, and joins the pregame tailgate before attending a West Virginia Mountaineers game against Oklahoma.

Key Moments

• Morgantown’s game-day atmosphere: The host notes that the city has roughly 30,000 residents and 30,000 students, while the football stadium can hold more people than both groups combined.
• A local’s definition of tailgating: Fans gather in parking lots—often around trucks—to play music, grill food, drink, and socialize before the game. The “tailgate” refers to the drop-down back of a truck.
• Meeting a former Buckwild cast member: The host talks with Joey about the MTV reality show and the death of his friend and co-star Shane. Joey reflects on the sudden fame, its pressures, and the lack of support for the young cast.
• What outsiders misunderstand about West Virginia: Locals push back against stereotypes, describing the state as welcoming and highlighting its people, small businesses, artists, and natural beauty.
• College football as community: Fans explain that Mountaineer pride extends beyond students and alumni; people across the state follow the team. The host also encounters friendly rivalries between local high schools.
• Game-day traditions and food: The host tries local drinks and snacks, including pepperoni rolls, and sees fans in West Virginia colors gathering around the stadium.
• Finding a game companion: Having bought two tickets, the host gives his spare ticket to a local fan so they can watch together.
• Inside the stadium: The crowd is enormous, and the atmosphere is loud and energetic. The host admits he knows little about American football and spends much of the game socializing rather than following the action. The score is tied at 21–21 at one point; no final score is given.

🍻 Practical Takeaways

• Tailgating usually means meeting up in a parking lot before the game to eat, drink, listen to music, and hang out.
• Arrive early: The lots are already busy by mid-afternoon, and getting to your seat can take time.
• Eat before drinking: The host goes without food and quickly realizes that drinking on an empty stomach is a bad idea.
• Check stadium rules in advance: selfie sticks and outside alcohol aren’t allowed in this case.
• If you’re drinking, pace yourself and drink responsibly.

Note

The video includes a brief eSIM sponsor segment, explaining that travelers can install an eSIM before a trip and activate it after arrival to get mobile data without visiting a local network shop.