14 Best Sports Trivia Games To Play At Tailgate Parties

Playing sports trivia games at Tailgate parties is a tried and tested tradition and takes you through all kinds of weather and states of sobriety. No matter how many beers you have had, it’s always fun to display your knowledge, or not.  In fact, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ would be great if they filled the Green Room with booze and the contestants had to be buzzed or above.  IMHO.

A lot of party animals make up their own questions and score in a random way but I have found some really great kits that do all this for you.  Check them out!

Ways to play are via phone, Kindle or computer or you can fall back on (and this is what we prefer) those packs of trivia cards for a specific sport or for all sports.  Let’s start with the apps.

APPS FOR ANDROID

Android Smart Phone NFL NHL MLB NBA MLS Logo Quiz App – Free

FREE is good, right?  So here’s a range of free apps that are based on team logos and knowledge.  They appeal to all ages and are designed to run on Android phones.

There are 140 logos, 6 levels to conquer and 4 hints per logo.  Correct guesses give you additional hints. The app is updated and is a developing game so the numerous typos and spelling errors probably can be forgiven but it may frustrate those used to more precise quizzes.  For group play, Bluetooth it into your Smart TV and play in teams.

There’s no NHL on there.

Soccer levels are hard for non-fans.

New versions could be worth looking at and as it is free, hey, what’s the problem?

From Bubble Quiz Games

Android Smart Phone – All Star Sports Trivia

OK, so this paid-for app is a definite must for blue-toothing to your big screen, all gathering around it and taking turns in answering a set.  Speed and accuracy of picking the multiple choice answer is paramount and the questions range around all sports or you can pick a particular game that you’ve got some expertise in.

This is real Sports Bar stuff and the questions range from easy to darn hard.  Do some prep for your tailgate party quizzes by working through this large selection of questions.  The makers are still working on it, fixing any glitches.  The display looks like ‘Millionaire’ and your results can be posted on Facebook. Compete against your buddies or against the computer.  It has bookmarks and is user-friendly intuitive interactive.  Hey, it even has car racing and don’t forget tailgating happens at rallies, F-1, stock-car, burn-out and other 4 wheeler events.

Trivia. No sport is off limits and questions- ranging from easy to hard- cover football, basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, and more! Challenge a friend to the All-Star Sports Trivia game, save your score, and post your all time best record on Facebook. Invite your friends to play and impress your buddies with how much you know about the best sports teams and players of all time!

I had a wild time playing this one with the computer but then some friends came over to visit.  After a few beers, we were shouting out answers and it really was fun.  Particularly useful in the car-park when you are restricted by small spaces or weather but always great for home-gating.

From Mobifusion.

Not free.

Android Smartphone NCAA March Madness Basketball Trivia

The trivia in this app is pretty much off the wall stuff from the Collegiate league (unauthorized) and it is competing with the highly established ESPN game.  There are over 1000 questions but believe me, you will burn through those in no time.  Its saing grace is that it is from Mobifusion and they do other games as well and are upgrading apps continually.

Challenge a friend to the game, save your score, and track your success statistics. Questions are timed and points are based on how fast an answer is supplied. If a player leaves a quiz and returns the game will pick up where it was left off. Players can e-mail or SMS their friends for help on a question by tapping the mail icon on the bottom menu bar.

Again, Bluetooth and a big TV will make this more fun, but you could make it a car for the journey to and from the tailgate party.

From Mobifusion.

Not free.

Android Smartphone Pocket Trivia: NFL Football

Based on American Football, it isn’t an authorized NFL app, but it has umpteen trivia questions based solely on that game and its stars over many years.  It has a randomizer feature that ensures that games are not repeated verbatim over and over,  It’s good for tailgate parties and will initially provide a quiet respite from more boisterous games unless, of course, you are playing Extreme Trivia.  This requires that people who choose a wrong answer must Skøl a shot or a beer.  As an app it is timer based so it keeps the party moving right along.  Can become hilarious, and again, synch it up with your TV or big screen display so that everyone can see the questions and chime in with their answers.  Good for team playing as well as one-on-one or alone.  Or everyone except the driver can play on the way to the game.

Based on multiple choice questions.

Use it to train for ‘Jeopardy’ … go on and win the big prize and then you can say you ‘owe it all to tailgating’.

Not free, but not expensive either. From Trivia Labs

New York Yankees All About Trivia Card Game

Here’s a specialized Yankees trivia card game with 250 questions written by a sports expert.  250 questions is not too many and as a hostess gift at a tailgate party, stocking stuffer or any occasion present, this is a nice item for a Yankees fan.  It’s handy on a car or plane trip (though on a plane you might annoy the people around you) but I think as a component in your repertoire of drinking games this is worth its price.

How do you turn this into a drinking game?  Say, a chug for every wrong answer …

On the listing it does state that it is “recommended for ages 1” and yes, there are some hard-drinking, tailgating baby geniuses out there who just happen to root for the Yankees, but I am thinking it is probably a misprint.

Yankee fans any age would enjoy this and should take a pack in their pocket at all times.

NFL Gridiron Trivia Challenge

You can either read the cards to learn stuff about Gridiron and how it is played or actually play the game.

It is presented in a 10” square chunky box similar to other board games with cards and a board included.

To win, you’ll need more than football knowledge and luck on your side because strategy is what separates this unique trivia game from the pack. Every move must be calculated – offense or defense – just like the real thing. 5 categories of questions – Offense, Defense, Honors, Teams & Audibles – it can actually train players in the language and art of Football plays.

The object is to control a 25-box playing field by strategically picking questions (straight from the NFL Archives) and correctly answering them to win boxes and points while blocking your opponent from doing the same.. Ages 13+ and can be played by 2 players or teams

I like the idea of this game as it does contain that chess-like thinking process (as does the game of football).  Ideal for existing fans of the game, wanna be fans and foreigners who have no idea what the game is about.  They’ll learn, believe me.

In summary, this is a great game to pull out and play at tailgate parties because you can play as individuals or in teams.

Again, you can adapt this for drinking games by penalizing the losers or rewarding the winners.  My preference would be to do that on every play and use a shot glass, refilling it after every draining.

ESPN 21st Century Trivia

This game has been around and popular for five years and even though it is dated, has the fundamentals down pretty well.

Say your tailgate party is rained out – you can’t play Disc Golf or other outdoorsy games.  What to do?  Well, this popular trivia game – ESPN 21st Century Trivia – is fun and has a number of features that set it apart from other board games.

Sports trivia questions and fast-action game play include Chalk Talk and Instant Replay which challenge you to get your head thinking and your heart pumping, everything being on a time limit. Beat the shot clock as you battle your opponents; race around the board and win the game.  There are 1,000 questions about your favorite sports like football; skateboarding; BMX racing; baseball; college and more! The “Chalk Talk” card feature requires that you sketch sports terms like “Kiss the glass”; “Snow cone” or “Half pipe”; the “Instant Replay” card requires you to act out a “Hail Mary”; “No look pass” or “SportsCenter”. It’s fun, and even better when beer is involved.

The Game box includes 1,000 trivia questions; 150 “Talk Chalk” and “Instant Replay” challenges; stopwatch; dice; game board and 4 sport-themed movers.

Recommended ages 8+ but there is a whole new level for adults playing this at a boozy tailgate party.  You can play in teams and watch the fun unwind.

ESPN All Sports Trivia Challenge Game – Tailgate Edition

This ESPN Trivia Game is similar to the one above, but built around the full range of sports and has half the questions so these people have the attention span of the tailgate partiers figured out nicely.  It’s the tailgate party edition.  You might want to buy some additional question packs from any of the trivia cards available.  Otherwise you will know this one off by heart in no time at all.  Then again, if you are using it as a drinking game, you won’t remember much at all.

ESPN has released many versions of the boxed game.  It is a quality item but I am for buying a few sets and combining them to make the game last longer for a morning-afternoon-night of chugging as the winner or loser.  More fun as a drinking game.

I like the idea of including all sports but if you prefer the more specialized games, then you have that choice in the kits above.

Pressman ESPN Jeopardy Game

Combining Pressman and ESPN to create a Jeopardy Sports Trivia game is a good idea.  It contains an electronic unit for buzzing in and each player has their own sports-themed sound effect. Final Jeopardy counts down with the ESPN Sports Center theme.

There are 1000 well-researched and verified questions as is expected with the Jeopardy team.

3-5 players – Age 12 to Adult.  Requires a certain stash of sporting trivia knowledge and is aimed at ESPN viewers which is why team playing may be more fun than solo.

Of course, you can convert this to a drinking game by penalizing wrong answers and rewarding right ones.  The urbane, smooth as silk Mr. Trebek, is not included with the game.

You need batteries for the unit.

Note that this game is now discontinued and discounted  and has been replaced by DVR based Jeopardy games.

Cardinal Industries Sports Illustrated Trivia Tin

Now ya talkin’!  This is the Sports Illustrated Trivia tin.  Contents are low tech, cards and a scoring pad. It’s really well packed in a collector tin which makes it so easy to bring to the tailgate party.

Inexpensive but contains 1000 questions on all sports and my advice is to immediately see this as the tailgate party drinking game to break the ice.  The questions are designed to inform players about a heap of sports.

And the ‘Sports Illustrated Cover Girl’ of 2014 will be ….

NHL All About Hockey Trivia

NHL has its own officially licensed hockey trivia game and an excellent range of easy to difficult questions spanning the history of the league from the beginning to 2008/09. Most trivia games are no fun because nobody can get any of the questions right, especially when there is beer involved which, even I must admit, there usually is at a tailgate party.  I like trivia games as an icebreaker and put people in teams.  When the question is answered correctly, everyone downs a shot or a beer.

It’s nice to find a boxed set like this that is based on that brave, northern sport where the yelling out of the word ‘Puck!” doesn’t raise an eyebrow.  Contains 1000 expertly written questions.

So here’s another great Hockey-themed game:

Spot it NHL

You can an NBL version too, but the hockey one is cute as it is packed in a puck.  The object of the game is to learn the teams by logo and kids love this as much as drinkers.

It’s a speed game, the players having to recognize the logos of the teams fast to keep things going sort of like a sophisticated version of ‘Snap’ but with a purpose.  Buy the kids their own set and keep one in the tailgate party kit.

The NBL version is:

Has similar features to the hockey version  but of course, is all about baseball.  I am hoping that all the other sports are released soon as this game is a lot of fun.

FX-318 Fox Sports Baseball Trivia

Not sure what people who have trivia apps and smartphones would think of this very 1980s style trivia game, but it’s kinda cool in its own retro way.  Contains 1500 questions and tons  of sports info.  Based on baseball. Pardon the pun.  Features a stadium locator/ electronic game of which I am not sure of the currency – those stadiums change their sponsors a lot. Needs batteries and is supplied with the first set but all that buzzing and display will chew through them.  This game is getting hard to find so if you think your tailgate party kit could do with some inexpensive push button fun, then this may be for you so nab it fast.