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Mahjong is the new tailgate game taking over college football for women — and even at home with head coaches
Mahjong has become a popular social pastime among women in the American South, and is now appearing at college football tailgates. The writer spotted four women playing at an LSU tailgate and found the game was also being played around Ole Miss, Alabama and Indiana, suggesting it has spread beyond private gatherings.
Players meet for hosted game nights or use local studios, with specialist shops selling tiles, mats and sets, including themed products. The writer says some men play to unwind too, including coaches, but admits they have yet to learn the game; the article presents the trend through personal observations rather than participation figures.
In short
- Mahjong is turning up at college football tailgates.
- Women’s game nights have helped spread the pastime.
- Men, including coaches, are also said to play.
Explained simply
Mahjong is a tile game in which players draw and discard tiles to make matching sets, with rules that vary by version. In the United States, American mahjong is often played socially in groups, and players use a yearly card to check which combinations count.
College football tailgates are gatherings held near a stadium before a match, where supporters meet, eat and socialise. The game’s reported spread from hosted nights and local studios to tailgates at universities including LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama and Indiana reflects its growing visibility in these settings.
Specialist shops sell mahjong sets and accessories, and some players organise regular games at home or in studios. The trend matters as an example of how a social pastime is appearing in new public settings, though the account is based on observations rather than participation figures.