The Tailgaters have spent three decades proving that the best game day traditions are built around making people feel at home.  Since Vic and Gina Merrill purchased Detroit Lions season tickets in 1995, they have welcomed generations of fans into a tailgate where conversation comes easily, meals are shared generously, and strangers are treated like lifelong friends.  What began beside Lightpost J at the Pontiac Silverdome eventually found its permanent home in the Eastern Market, where The Tailgaters have become one of the communities that define the Detroit Lions game day experience.

Vic and Gina have shaped the personality of the tailgate from the very beginning.  They started with little more than a Pontiac Grand Prix, a simple setup, and a desire to enjoy Sundays with family and friends.  As the group grew, so did the tailgate itself.  New vehicles replaced old ones, equipment expanded, and each move through the Eastern Market reflected the increasing number of people who wanted to be part of what the Merrills were building.  Along the way, longtime friends Bob and Brenda, Jen and Chris, and countless others became part of an extended family that now stretches far beyond its original circle.

That sense of family defines every game day.  Visitors are greeted almost immediately, regardless of whether they are lifelong Lions fans, first-time guests, or supporters of the visiting team.  Conversations begin naturally, introductions are made without hesitation, and before long it becomes difficult to remember who arrived together and who met only minutes earlier.  The atmosphere remains relaxed regardless of the scoreboard because the relationships built around the tailgate have always mattered just as much as the football waiting inside Ford Field.

The Tailgaters describe their community through five simple values: food, family, friends, football, and fun.  Those ideas are reflected throughout the day.  Mornings begin with the traditional Apple Pie Shot followed by a chorus of "Go Lions!" before breakfast is served.  Grillmaster Nick Bianchi prepares meals that change throughout the season, including Opening Day pig roasts, Oktoberfest celebrations, Thanksgiving feasts, and the annual chili cookoff that regulars anticipate every year.  Beer on tap, Blue Juice, Bloody Marys, and a steady stream of homemade food keep guests gathered around the tables for hours before kickoff.

The experience does not end when fans leave for the stadium.  Those attending the game know a hot dog will be waiting when they return, while those staying behind settle into chairs to watch the Lions together on the tailgate's big screen.  Every part of the day reflects the Merrills' belief that hospitality should extend from the first arrival before sunrise until the final guests head home after the game.  Their daughter Nicole and son-in-law Nick, who now hold the family's original season tickets, represent another generation carrying those traditions forward.

The Tailgaters earned their place in the Tailgating Hall of Fame because Vic and Gina Merrill created something every football fan hopes to find away from home.  Through decades of genuine hospitality, enduring friendships, and a commitment to making every visitor feel like part of the family, they helped define the welcoming culture that has made the Eastern Market one of the NFL's premier tailgating destinations.  Their greatest tradition is not a signature recipe or a famous ritual.  It is the feeling that everyone who walks into their tailgate belongs there.