Niners fans tailgate at last game of the season at Levi's Stadium
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It was the last regular season game for the San Francisco 49ers. Fans turned out to cheer on the home team, with lots of red and gold fashion, flags and face painting in the parking lot of Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
Especially festive were the pre-game festivities that started at 9 a.m. when the gates to the parking lot opened.
Faithful fans showed up and partied like rock stars knowing, that regardless of the outcome of the game, the Niners were headed to the playoffs even before the first kickoff.
Stacy Samuels, the ‘Banjo Man’ as he’s called, got fans fired up with his melodic twangy riffs on classic tunes. He’s been doing it before every home game for over four decades.
A gold cape tied around his neck, with a gold team 49er logo hand-sewn on the back. He said, "I’ve been playing 49er games for 41 years and 10 Super Bowls."
As the aroma of barbecued chicken and tri-tip wafted throughout the parking lot, tailgaters toasted one another with chardonnay in plastic glasses, and cocktails prepared by ‘Shot King Marlon,’ as he’s known. Fueling fans with shots served on a red tray.
As he poured a concoction of liquor into small one-ounce red plastic cups, there was an ‘old school’ soundtrack playing in the background. Shot King Marlon has been tailgating since the team played at Candlestick Park.
DJ Stacey from San Jose was hyping fans up for this California showdown against the Los Angeles Rams with music she selected from an oldies playlist on her phone.
Fueling fans with alcoholic drinks to get them ready.
"We’ve only got three games to get to the Super Bowl, oh my lord! But one at a time, one at a time," said Marlon.
Many lifelong fans have a pre-game routine. Music, a spread of food, beverages and dancing are part of the fun.
Norma Uenaka of Cupertino stirred her corn chowder in a large stock pot on a propane-heated cooktop. Her group didn’t have a DJ or live music, but she proved to be a professional when it came to tailgate hosting.
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Asked about the beverages being served with the chowder, Uenaka said, "We have quite an assortment of wine, we’re wine lovers here."
She and her husband have also been coming to home games for fifty years.
Trending at Sunday's game are shiny gold-looking, long necklace chains with giant SF logos as the pendant.
A vendor sells gold-looking $40 SF logo chains in the parking lot outside Levis Stadium. (Alice Wertz)
Ernest Gardner was selling them briskly, despite the price being $40 each.
He said, "They’re a hot seller, the fans love them. It fits the Bay Area style."
Even though the game saw a narrow loss for the Niners, the last of the season game proved to be a good dress rehearsal for everyone, as both the Rams and the Niners are headed to the playoffs.
Costumed fans tailgate at the LA Rams vs. SF 49er game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara (Alice Wertz)
That includes the fans, with all their faithfulness, fashion, fun and gold-looking chains.
Alice Wertz is a freelance reporter for KTVU Fox 2 News. She can be reached at Alice.Wertz@Fox.com