How Philly Football Fans Can Shake off the Loss–and Still Enjoy Tailgating During the Super Bowl

You never know what you’re going to get as a Philadelphia sports fan. It seems like each year, even when we’re on top, our teams feel the need to reaffirm our status as the city of underdogs with come-from-behind wins, heartbreaking missed opportunities, and all manner of nail-biting final plays. 

That may not have worked out for us this year, but that shouldn’t stop Philly football fans from enjoying the rest of the playoffs. And if you can master at-home tailgating parties, you can make watching the playoffs fun, no matter the outcome. 

Fortunately, in a city defined by its sports talk, foodie favorites and great drinks, it’s not hard to become the perfect playoff party host. To help you plan the ultimate authentic Philly sports experience, we reached out to Crown Royal for cocktails they serve at Lincoln Financial Field, so you can drink as if you were at the stadium, and rounded up the classic local dishes that say “It’s game day in Philly” like no other. Whether you’re a tailgating rookie or a seasoned veteran, here’s how to host game day like a pro. 

The Kickoff

Just like any football team, you’ll want to get things started on the right foot. The perfect lineup greeting any Philly fan when they walk into a tailgate? A table full of Philly-style soft pretzels, the ideal warm-up for game day. Make sure to get the “S” or figure-eight-shaped pretzels, the city’s favorite snack for the last couple hundred (!) years. (Fun fact: the population of Philadelphia eats more pretzels per year than any other city.) 

Pair the pretzels with the very batchable SWOOP Special to make it game-day authentic–just combine 1.5 oz. Crown Royal Fine De Luxe Blended Canadian Whisky and 3 oz. lemonade in a glass of ice. Add a .2 oz. splash of club soda for some fizz, and you’ll have the festive combo of pretzels and lemonade to get the party started. 

Digging In

Once the game gets underway, you’ll want to keep the flavor and the chatter going without distracting from the game. In terms of food, you can’t go wrong with the classics–pizzas and hoagies are finger-friendly, eyes-on-the-TV staples. But for a Philly touch, order roast pork and broccoli rabe on those hoagie rolls for an Italian Market classic, and for pizza, try its older brother, tomato pie. (If you can’t say goodbye to the cheese, look for the hybrid, Sicilian style–red sauce on top, cheese underneath.)

Keep the zesty flavors going with a Birds Crush, which combines the smoothness of 1.5 oz.  Crown Royal Fine De Luxe Blended Canadian Whisky with 4 oz. of spicy-sweet ginger ale and .5 oz. of bright cranberry juice. 

The Extra Point

Whether your guests are savoring victory or mourning defeat at the end of the game, a sweet treat will be needed either way. Emotions tend to run hot after the final whistle, so what better way to celebrate than a cup of “wooter” ice, another Italian-American delicacy from the city of Brotherly Love? 

Of course, cherry is the water ice flavor of choice, and that makes it a perfect complement to the final drink on our list: the Royal Cherry Ice, which goes all in on the fruit flavors with 3 oz. cherry juice, .2 oz. splash of grenadine and 1.5 oz. Crown Royal Fine De Luxe Blended Canadian Whisky, all topped with .2 oz. club. 

Win or lose, it’s how you play the game, and that’s why you might want to make the ending of your tailgate sweet in another way–by participating in the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project, which turns Crown Royal bags into care packages for active duty military. So encourage your guests to join the cause, and no matter the game’s outcome, your playoff experience will be a win.

This is a paid partnership between Crown Royal and Philadelphia Magazine