TAMPA, Fla. — A lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan has the team to partially thank for helping create a new business.
Mike Powell started tailgating at Chiefs games with two other people. These days, aside from this COVID-impacted season, his tailgates bring between 100 and 300 hungry fans.
“You never know who is going to show up,” Powell said.
Families of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and other players have become regulars. Clark Hunt, the owner of the team, even showed up once.
“And then he asked to take a picture with me. So he and the wife, they took a picture,” Powell said. “It was crazy, man.”
The star of every tailgate cookout was the food. People ranted and raved over Powell’s homemade barbecue sauces. Now, he bottles seven different kinds and packages more than 100 different barbecue rubs.
“It can make the novice an expert,” Powell claimed.
In a perfect world, he’d be hosting a tailgate for fans outside Raymond James Stadium before the Super Bowl. This year, he made the trip to Tampa, but isn’t hosting a tailgate and isn’t attending the game. He’s in the city to root on the team which helped him find success.
He said he hopes that success repeats for both himself and the team.
“The Chiefs and this team, this won’t be the last Super Bowl,” he said.
You can buy Mike P’s Barbecue Sauces and Dry Rubs in Kansas City area Hy-Vee and Sun Fresh stores, plus on his website.