At 7 a.m. Oct. 11 most people are in bed, but for the Elon7amTailgate, their day has already started. 

Originally beginning about 12 years ago, the tailgate started after Elon University's Athletics Advisory Board had a vision of building an event to create a culture and a more dynamic fan base. 

Four members of the board, David Oakley, Mike Cross, David Rich and Brian Martindale, took this idea and ran with it, according to Oakley.

Not only does this tailgate happen for every home football game, but tailgates also happen for every sport, including baseball, basketball, lacrosse, softball and volleyball. The creators say that it gives them a sense of camaraderie and furthers their passion for sports. 

Rich, one of the creators of this tailgate, said that they like to embrace the tailgate spirit from early on, getting there first every single home game. 

“There are more people here today because of Homecoming,” Rich said. 

The tailgate also has many traditions that attendees enjoy and look forward to, according to Oakley, such as the roasting of an entire pig for Homecoming games. 

Georgia, a 95-pound pig served to attendees after hours of cooking, was named after the Villanova football team’s head coach's wife, a tradition they carry every year. 

“Let's find out who the wife of the head football coach is on the other team, and we're going to name it that,” Rich said. 

Rich said they are not trying to be mean-spirited but rather have a funny discussion with players, staff and the rival team regarding the pig.

This pig not only caught many attendees' eye but also was cooked and marinated for the past 12 hours, according to Rich. 

Martindale, another creator of the event, said the tailgate is meant for people to have fun and get some food.

The organizers involved said this event is like the Super Bowl to them, and they are very happy with the turnout. 

The tailgate will continue this celebration later to prepare for Elon men’s soccer to face off against the University of North Carolina Wilmington at 7:30 p.m. at Rudd Field for Senior Night.