What a season! The 2023 tailgates have been an incredible ride with excitement both on and off the field but of course, all good things must come to an end. As we say goodbye to this year’s season, let’s look back and explore some of the highlights beyond touchdowns and tackles. Here’s what made the 2023 tailgate season one for the history books!

A Growing Guest List

Here at FFB, we’ve become pros at throwing tailgates. In fact, we’ve been doing this since 2016! But in the entire history of tailgate season at the bank, we have NEVER seen a turnout like this. This year, we not only doubled our attendance from last year, but we also hit a record-setting 601 people joining our fourth tailgate! We even filled up our RSVP list for the last two games within four hours! Needless to say, it warms our hearts to see your excitement for the tailgates growing every year. Plus, we love nothing more than being able to share the tailgate experience with more customers and their families – especially as our bank continues to grow!

 

Bulldog Collaborations

Without Fresno State football, there would be no tailgates to throw. So, you can trust that FFB Bank and our tailgate-goers were there for every home game to cheer on the dogs both before and after kickoff! Fresno State gave it their all on the field, and despite a few losses, they played amazingly all season long. We’re so proud of this school that many members of the FFB Bank team can call their own!

Not only are we proud of the Fresno State football team, but we’re especially grateful for upcoming quarterback Mikey Keene and the Fresno State Marching Band. Words cannot express how lucky we feel to have partnered up with Mikey and these fantastic musicians to create our hilarious commercials this season. We had so much fun behind the scenes, not just because Mikey and the band were great to work with, but also because both jumped in without hesitation to play it up for our campaigns. They showed that their talent doesn’t just lie on the field – they’re great on camera too!

See Mikey and the Band in action!

Delicious Food from Familiar Faces – and New Ones!

As you can imagine, it’s no easy feat to feed nearly 600 people, let alone do so multiple Saturdays a month. That’s why we’re so fortunate to have had an incredible lineup of amazing vendors to cater the tailgates this season. Of course, people were excited to see lots of returning favorites behind the buffet line, including Mad Duck, Westwood’s, Ampersand, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Kona Ice, and Churros 5 A’s. Yet we were also happy to introduce our customers to G’s Creamery, CDT Cocina, and Valentino’s – all of which were new to catering the tailgates and took on the challenge like champs. From ice cream to tacos to BBQ, there was plenty of delicious food to go around along with stellar service from all our vendors, new and seasoned. If our tailgate goers can bet on anything, it’s that they will never leave the FFB tent hungry!

 

Thank You

Lastly, this tailgate season would not have been complete without our incredible team and without YOU. We want to say thank you to the FFB Bank marketing team who spent months prepping for tailgate season and for creating this spectacular event year after year. Not only that, but we extend our gratitude to all the other staff members at FFB Bank who either volunteered to help make the event the best it can be or came out to support us. Lastly, we want to thank all of the customers who joined us for every tailgate. We loved getting to know all of you and seeing returning faces every week. Your never-ending support is what helps make FFB more than a bank, but a community.

 

Summary

As always, we hope that everyone who joined us for this year’s tailgates was able to have a blast with their friends and family! This season was truly one for the books with Bulldog victories and some of the biggest turnouts we’ve ever seen. As the 2023 tailgate season draws to a close, we’re counting down the days until the next one.  Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox once the 2024 football season hits. We can’t wait to invite you to an even bigger and better tailgate next year!