Tailgate Tour tops 3M impressions in first 2 weeks of 27th season

The Tailgate Tour opened its 27th season with more than 3 million impressions across its first two weekends, putting the college football activation on pace for another full national run. Presented by FOX Sports Radio and iHeartMedia, the tour is now heading into 14 more weeks with six trucks on the road.

Why it matters: - The Tailgate Tour is entering another full college football season with momentum that underscores how big-game fan activations can still deliver scale. - More than 3 million impressions in two weeks suggests the program is again reaching fans far beyond the stadium crowd. - The tour is projected to deliver 1.5 million on-site fan touchpoints across its 14-week schedule.

What happened: - The Tailgate Tour launched Sept. 6 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin. - The tour moved the following weekend to the University of Texas for the Ohio State matchup. - FOX Sports Radio and iHeartMedia present the tour. - The 2026 season is the tour's 27th.

The details: - The Tailgate Tour bills itself as the largest and longest-running fan experience in college sports. - The tour has reached more than 42 million fans at more than 360 games over 27 years. - Six trucks are on the road this season, and the footprint can stretch to 500 feet on the ground, according to Jay Freedman, partner at NFuse Entertainment. - The tour's owned audience tops 500,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram, including its influencer network. - That audience generates an average weekly reach above 1 million impressions. - The 3 million opening-weekend figure reflects that audience reactivating for the new season. - The 2026 roster includes Dunkin', Wrangler, Tums and Celsius across beverage, CPG, OTC and confection categories. - More than 350 global brands across 50 categories have activated on the tour since inception. - Full schedule and activity details are available at tailgatetour.com, on social at @thetailgatetour, and across partner digital channels.

Between the lines: - The tour is increasingly a media and marketing platform, not just a game-day event. - Strong owned-audience reach helps the activation generate impressions before fans ever reach the venue. - The brand mix shows the tour is positioned as a broad consumer-marketing vehicle tied to college football's biggest matchups. - The scale and longevity are part of the pitch: the program is now leaning on 27 years of accumulated audience and brand equity.

What's next: - The tour still has 14 weeks left in the 2026 season. - Upcoming stops include Florida at Auburn, Miami at Clemson, Oklahoma State at Houston, Michigan State at Michigan, LSU at Tennessee and Auburn at Alabama. - NFuse Entertainment says the tour will keep rotating through major games while delivering free, interactive pregame experiences for fans. - The company is continuing to market the tour through its social channels and partner digital distribution.

The bottom line: - The Tailgate Tour is using college football's biggest stages to turn fan turnout, social reach and brand sponsorship into a season-long experiential business.