Last Updated on 08/19/2021 by Inside Tailgating
Most tailgating groups are pretty serious about their tailgating. The Krewe of Crown/Road Purple Hooligans (KOC-RPH) takes the art of tailgating to a completely different level.
This LSU-loving, 40-person supergroup not only gives awards for Tailgater of the Year (TOTY), but they’ve also awarded a top tailgater for each week (TOTW) since 2003. And if that wasn’t enough, KOC-RPH also awards a Member of the Year trophy, which started in 2002, is now voted on by past members, just like the Heisman. Once you win, your name is added to the side, and with another stack of names set to begin, the award more resembles the Stanley Cup.
James Roy, three-time winner of the KOC Member of the Year, explains how this all began. “During the 2001 offseason, one of my brothers (Jonathan), my cousin Marshall, and I wanted to start going to more road games. We founded the Road Purple Hooligans and off we went to the LSU-Virginia Tech opening game of 2002. There were six of us on that trip. Our mission was to have fun, support our team, and have people remember us for being kinda rowdy. This trip was legendary!!! We heckled Va. Tech fans, started a ton of group cheers among the LSU faithful, and planted a flag on campus. We actually met up with my brother Devin who was part of the KOC on that trip, as they had rented an RV. That was the beginning of the merger, that officially took place in 2003.”
And although they love their Crown Royal, representing the “C” in KOC-RPH, these guys really love their food with multiple cooks that know how to fire up the good stuff. Some of the items on their incredibly diverse menu this past football season included pulled pork sandwiches with homemade coleslaw, alligator sauce picante, beignets (for an early game), deer meat chili, turkey and sausage gumbo, and of course, jambalaya.
When Roy was asked what a typical KOC-RPH tailgate entails, he replied, “We are out there at 8 a.m. at the latest, and guarantee a good time. We play loud music and cook great food. We play washers, beer pong, have fans (when it’s too hot), tents, tons of chairs, tables, ice chest to put your beer in, cold drinks, just an altogether great time.”
Roy is currently working on a video chronicling the best moments of the past 10 years to show just what a great time the members have had, but there are plenty of existing outstanding videos to show how much fun the KOC-RPH has on a weekly basis.
Joining the Krewe is easy enough. Just go the forums on the web site and send James Roy a message. The membership fee is a meager $40 each year, which covers food, snacks, cold drinks, ice, paper towels, cups, gas for generator, upkeep on trailer, and buying or replacing new equipment. You don’t even have to live in Louisiana, as they have had members living in Arizona, Massachusetts and California, who would fly down for a game or two each year.
Despite the trash-talking on their website’s About Us page directed towards all other SEC schools, Roy says, “As far as us not liking other SEC schools, it’s all in good fun. We like to talk smack, but we party with everyone. We do have people from other schools come to our tailgate and anyone is welcome there.”
That even includes Alabama fans, who are still basking in the glow of their 21-0 BCS Championship win over LSU this past January. Now that’s some serious southern hospitality.
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