How Eagles fans turned a small tailgate into a blowout bash
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A Birds'-eye view of the C6 crew. Photo: Courtesy of Sean Holden
When Philadelphia Eagles fans Mike Burnett and Steve Ogen began tailgating in section C6 of the Wells Fargo Center parking lot in 1998, their setup consisted of a grill they'd bought at Home Depot and meat they'd raid from Burnett's mom's fridge.
Why it matters: Decades later, the C6 tailgate looks more like a festival, with live DJs and a star-studded lineup of chefs cooking up feasts, plus the occasional celebrity sighting. And it's all free.
- "Two became four, four became eight," Burnett tells Axios of their tailgate attendees, and soon enough 500 to 1,000 people are showing up during home games at the Linc.
Powered by Birds love and a crew of their friends, it's become a place where Eagles loyalists and opposing fans can harmoniously mingle.
- No matter who you're rooting for in Sunday's Birds-Rams divisional matchup, everyone is greeted with a handshake and a cheesesteak.
The intrigue: They've earned a stamp of approval from the city's biggest superfans, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Eagles greats, including Jason Kelce.
- The retired center attended recently, tossing fans beers from the back of a pickup. Former wide receiver Freddie Mitchell is there most weeks.
Their secret sauce: Little flourishes that make visitors feel like family.
- When Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis visited during the Eagles-Steelers game, the C6 crew got Pennsylvania's leader a kosher hoagie from Fishtown. They wrangled Pittsburgh gear for Davis, a Steelers fan.
- "I want to say to my friends here in C6: I got my hoagie. I got my hoodie. And I got a whole lot of love here," Shapiro said.
The big picture: The C6 tailgate has provided high-fives, handpounds, warm wishes and warmer hugs for Philadelphians overcoming personal problems, health scares and financial foibles.
- A mother couldn't afford presents for Christmas one year, so she brought her kids to a C6 tailgate.
- No one tailgates for preseason games, but the C6 crew once held a big bash for a young boy, Cam, who underwent successful open-heart surgery to fix a congenital defect. He thanked them with Lego figurines and 3D-printed Lombardi Trophies.
How it works: The founders tell Axios the C6 tailgate has become a full-blown second job. Many crew members have taxing day jobs — X-ray tech, third-grade elementary teacher, business owner — but they still carve out time for weekly conference calls to plot out every detail.
- They pay for all the supplies with the help of sponsorships, and sometimes out of their own pockets. (The season-long production costs an estimated $25,000 collectively.)
- On game day, one of the crew members arrives before 3am to secure their spot. They haul in trailers, tents, televisions, fire pits, space heaters, PlayStations, corn hole and more.
- For 1pm games, the crew holds a "Breakfast on Broad" feast that starts hours before the Linc's lots open.
And many of the organizers use their skills or network to energize the crowd.
- Sean Holden, 39, who whips up the free cheesesteaks, invites several local chefs, who cook elaborate meals, from mezcal-marinated quail to wagyu beef.
- Dan Lewis, 45, one of the crew leaders, DJs a '90s hip-hop set for every home game.
What they're saying: "Our love for the Birds trumps everything," says Holden, who started out as a super fan known as "Super Eagle." His friends credit his infectious personality with recruiting a legion of new followers.
- "This is not a show-up-on-Sunday operation."
Another OG, Steve Schell, 44, describes the group as "friends for life," before correcting himself: "Family for life."
The mix of community and revelry has been healing for people like 46-year-old Andrew Likens. He told Axios that his life turned a corner when he started going to the tailgates.
- "That was one of the main turning points of me getting back to enjoying life," he says. "When you get there, it's like, 'Ahhhhh.' Total peace of mind."
The bottom line: Burnett and Ogen have a moment alone at every tailgate where they look out at the sea of green and reflect on the journey.
- "We have a couple shots and drink to some of our friends who aren't with us anymore," Ogen says. "To remember the old times and celebrate the new times coming."