Watch: Fans Receive a Treat Before Hurricanes’ 1st Outdoor Game

Tailgating is a proud tradition amongst hockey fans. Fans, rivals, and people from all walks of life get together for food and drinks. Hearing chants and cheers for favorite teams or players is common. Tailgating also brings together people who might not be able to purchase tickets for the game but still want to get into the spirit of it all. Recently, a tailgate before an NHL game caught the eye of the public, for the huge numbers it attracted.

The tailgate was set up by the fans in the parking lot of the Carter–Finley Stadium. The party was in the anticipation of a Hurricanes game that was about to take place inside the stadium. The fans were decked out in their team’s jerseys, and many activities were being held for the entertainment of the crowd.

NHL tailgating is done right

Tailgating in the parking lot of the Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina is a phenomenon. Carter–Finley is famous for the amount of parking space it makes available to the fans. In a video shared by ABC11, people are seen putting up their shops and tents and making food, and passing around beers. Fans reached the venue hours before the game began to ensure they get a perfect spot for the pre-game festivities.

One fan commented, “…Getting here 2-3 hours early and tailgating, putting on a show for the hockey world.” Another fan added, “I got out here early. Got out here at 9 a.m. this morning. Set up the smoker.” What’s a tailgate without proper food and drinks? But the Hurricanes and the Capitals fans were ready for it all. One tailgater said, “Definitely some good beers, gotta have some good drinks. Gotta have some good Carolina barbeque, which we have here.” Another fan had something delicious to add to this menu. They said, “Here in Carolina, so you gotta have the pulled pork as well.”

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Many fans were as excited about the tailgate as they were for the game. One fan revealed, “Oh mate, extremely excited. Hyped up about it. It’s gonna be fantastic.” The fans were clearly stoked and couldn’t wait to cheer for their home team, the Carolina Hurricanes. And they were as stoked to be able to tailgate at the famous Carter-Finley Stadium.

The magic of Carter-Finley

A large number of fans stocked to the stadium to catch the game. There were parties, tailgating, fan frenzies, and much more. People were excited about the humongous setup, which was all possible due to the spacious parking of the stadium. One fan said, “Where can you find these much parking spots around the arena? Hardcore fans out there. Love their barbeque, love their food.” Another person went far enough to claim that theirs was the best place to tailgate in the entire NHL league. “I think we have one of the best setups in Raleigh… Actually in the NHL. I mean think about it. Where can you find these much parking spots around the arena?”

All the well wishes and the positive energy that the Hurricanes fans sent the team seems to have worked, as they defeated the Capitals with a score of 4–1 in their first outdoor game. The game attracted many viewers, with a sellout crowd of 56,961 fans. While the authorities urged the fans to reach the stadium early to avoid traffic, roads were still jam-packed. Traffic was the only obstacle in an otherwise flawless experience.

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Which stadium, according to you, offers the best tailgating experience in the country?