Welcome to Kansas State where real men wear purple and the Busch Light flows like water. You should know after traversing through random parking lots on a typical college football Saturday, I nearly gave up.
Let me explain.
Early in the Traveling Tailgaters days, I did one of the scariest things a person on the internet can do. I sent a message into the abyss of social media with doubts of any response. UCF was making their Big 12 debut against Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
My friend and I were planning an epic football weekend with the UCF-Kansas State game on Saturday and Chiefs-Bears matchup on Sunday. We wanted to get an authentic feel for Kansas State on gameday, so I posted on X, expecting very little response.
Tailgating at Kansas State: A Sea of Purple in Front of Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Fast forward to a few hours before kickoff, and I am looking for a purple van, which on this campus is actually harder than it sounds. We decided to try one more parking lot, and there it was.
The coolest van since Scooby-Doo, “Little Miss Sunshine” or insert another cool vehicle here. Having never met, Misty invited us to meet her merry band of purple tailgating bandits.
There was this highly touted quarterback named Avery Johnson we talked about (I know, don’t give up hope #EMAW). Then there was this Will Howard guy, who you might have heard about.
Strangers who grew up thousands of miles away united by this stupid game we all love.
And love will make you do crazy things like fly across the country to see your team get boat raced (done that a few times). It also makes you do crazy things like inviting complete strangers into your Saturday “home”.
The best tailgates are the ones where there is always room for one more under the tent.
The day didn’t start quite as blissful. Aside from the hotel making the bold move to have an indoor pool in the middle of the lobby, guests were delayed to check in because, well, UCF was staying at the same place.
As you can imagine, a college football team takes up a lot of room, so there were plenty of guests waiting poolside to check into their rooms. I can assure you this is not as dreamy as it sounds.
Walking into the hotel’s sports bar, every television was tuned into a Big 12 matchup. With all due respect to the American, Conference USA and MAC, for the first time in my life, it felt like my alma mater was part of something bigger.
I started Big 12 chants but no one joined me. Wrong conference maybe.
Kansas State Football Gameday Review: Club Seats Provided Epic Experience
Maybe you are one of the heathens we are trying to convert who does not care about tailgating. Even if all want is ball, Kansas State still provides an epic experience.
It is difficult to understand why Kansas State does not get mentioned as one of the better gameday experiences in college football. In an effort of full transparency, the contest we attended was a night game and the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Notably, it was the first-ever Big 12 game for UCF.
From the castle-like white stone to the bouncing student section, Kansas State did not disappoint. As an added bonus, we had luxury east club seats (technically Long McArthur Luxury East Club).
This put us right above the student section on the second level near the 50-yard line providing great sight lines for the game, not to mention perfect for people watching. Additionally, the sunset views from this section during night or late afternoon games are quite an experience.
Kudos to Kansas State for giving their students elite seats instead of sticking them in the corner of the stadium.
Our particular club seats were not all inclusive, but did provide access to a luxury indoor lounge. This offered elevated food and drink options, including several local beers on tap, as well as TVs with other college football games.
Our September matchup was quite pleasant, but I’d imagine this indoor area comes in handy as the season nears the end and gamedays are a bit colder. If you have an opportunity through StubHub, SeatGeek or perhaps a family friend to treat yo’ self with these seats, I strong recommend doing so.
While I haven’t been to every single stadium, your boy has quite a long list of venues visited including Georgia, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State among others. Pound for pound, I’d put Kansas State’s atmosphere up there with any other I’ve attended.
We did not get to do some of the top recommendations in Manhattan like Aggieville, but I’ve already booked a return trip this September.
We’re on to Kansas City to See the Chiefs (and Tailgate) at Arrrowhead Stadium
The distance between Kansas State and Kansas City is a little less than two hours depending on traffic. So, the next morning we hit the road for K.C. to experience Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs hosted the Bears.
This was pre-Caleb Williams and the game actually helped the Bears in their race to the bottom to land the No. 1 pick. One of the fans that runs the Kansas City UCF Alumni chapter invited us to his Chiefs tailgate.
Rumor has it there is a line early in the morning just to get the party started and claim your tailgating spot at Arrowhead. Spoiler alert: we were not part of this line.
As expected, there was plenty of BBQ represented at the various tailgating spots.
It is hard to beat a selfie in front of the iconic Arrowhead Stadium with its recognizable bowl-shaped design.
Chiefs Club Seat Review: Arrowhead Stadium Provides Elevated Experience (Plus Making History With Taylor Swift)
For those willing to spend a little more, the Chiefs offer club seats on the 200 level. Thanks to my friend Ryan, we sat in the corner of one of the end zones.
Like Kansas State, this was not an all-inclusive food and drink experience. It does get you access to the climate-controlled lounge area which shows all the ongoing NFL games. Additionally, you have elevated concession options.
Quick research on the Google machine tells me these are quite a bit more expensive than the Kansas State club seats. For those celebrating a special occasion, the club section is definitely worth considering for a Chiefs game.
Regardless, the atmosphere does not disappoint wherever you purchase tickets.
Fun fact: this also happened to be Taylor Swift’s first game at Arrowhead Stadium, just like me. Something tells me her seats were perhaps a bit nicer. I know this about T-Swift because my wife texted me to ask where she was sitting.
Little did we know the ongoing Taylor Swift mania that was about to ensue. There is still no shaking it off, but I am here for more people liking football, regardless of how they arrive.
From KC to Manhattan: Add This Trip to Your Sports Bucket List
The kind folks at Kansas State may not like me saying this but Manhattan is just a short drive to Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas. While I have not been to a game at Allen Fieldhouse, the campus is worth visiting.
With a new football stadium combined with the historic basketball venue, there are plenty of Jayhawks gameday options.
On a Saturday where the schedules align, it is possible to see a game on both campuses. The Kansas Basketball Museum is worth a stroll, even if there are no games scheduled during your trip.
It is hard to beat Kansas State then the Kansas City Chiefs on back-to-back days, but there are other options for you as you build your own trip. If you go in late August or September, there is a chance you can add a Royals game to the itinerary.
Additionally, catching an MLS game with Sporting KC is also an option. You could also do a lot worse than a BBQ tour going to all the various barbecue joints around Kansas City. Gates, Joe’s, Q39 and Jack Stack to name a few.
This was our first experiment in announcing our arrival uninvited. In Manhattan, we found the people to be warm and beer to be cold.
As I write this, there were several more shootings in our country, and it is also the 24th anniversary of September 11th.
I continue to believe that our roads are long and most people’s arms open wide. From Norman to Manhattan, we’ve seen so many people eager to show us where they’re from.
As SVP likes to say, everyone’s from somewhere, and people are eager to show you their somewhere. If you’ve lost faith in this place, hit the open road and fall in love again.
Head to Big 12 country or the closest college game near your home. You may just finally meet your neighbor and find out they’re not so bad after all. There’s a statue somewhere that reads:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Let’s continue to believe the best is yet to come. Let’s not stop gathering outside the stadiums of this great country and maybe just maybe it will lead to us eventually gathering at each other’s homes around the same table.
Acknowledgements
There are so many people to thank for providing such a great weekend that we’re doing it again in 2025!
Ryan, no one loves a city more than you do KC. Thanks for always being a kind, hospitable ambassador and leading me to two-a-day Peloton rides the week after our trips.
Thanks to Misty, the purple van and all the kind K-State fans we met. Give her a follow!
Thanks to Whitney for connecting us with all the K-State fans, tips for Manhattan and tailgating option. Please give her a follow!
Shouts to the UCF alumni crew in Kansas City and their hospitality.
To all the K-State fans we met, thank you! We will be back in town for the September 27th UCF-Kansas State game. Please reach out on X/Instagram @jondadams or email jondadams@gmail.com. We’d love to stop by your spot.
And of course, thank you for reading. After 10+ years of covering years covering sports nationally for sites like Athlon Sports, Heavy and BetUS, I started Traveling Tailgaters as a passion project.
Stands > Press Box.
is a sports and news contributor based in Atlanta, Georgia. For more than a decade, Jonathan has written for top media outlets like SI, Athlon Sports, Heavy.com and BetUS among others. Jonathan has traveled all over the world, attending major sporting events in England, Brazil, Italy and Spain. He graduated from UCF with a Master of Sport Business Management degree and has worked inside the industry in a variety of capacities in the sports world. Follow him on Twitter @JonDAdams.
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