Local News
LOCKPORT: Local man is seeking 'tailgate approval'
Daniel Klavoon’s “Beer Sphere” is tailgate-tested, now it just needs to be tailgate approved.
A few months ago, the 21-year-old Lockport man entered ESPN’s Bud Light “Tailgate Tested, Tailgate Approved” online contest. The contest is based on a series of Bud Light commercials featuring “Jimmy Football” promoting some unusual items that make tailgating a little easier for fans.
He promotes each item in front of an audience like an infomercial, which concludes with a “tailgated tested, tailgate approved!” shout from Jimmy Football and the audience. The term “tailgating” refers to a period of socializing that takes place before a sporting event, usually football.
Contest participants had to create their own unusual tailgating product. Klavoon’s product, the Beer Sphere, is a new way to quickly pass a beer to someone. The idea is to place a beer inside a football, which allows the beer to be thrown to someone without any damage to the beer. Klavoon said he thought of it one day at work, drinking and throwing around a football while tailgating.
“I just thought of combining the two,” he said.
While on the ESPN Web site, Klavoon saw a link about the Bud Light contest. He submitted his idea online and actually forgot about it until he received an e-mail stating he was a semifinalist.
“I actually had to e-mail them back and ask them what my idea was,” Klavoon said. “But I’m excited, hopefully it’ll work out.”
In order to win, Klavoon needs votes from the public. People can vote online at promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/budlight09. As of Thursday evening, Klavoon was in second place, with about 26 percent of the vote. Voting ends Monday, and the winner gets to go on an all expenses paid trip to Miami for Super Bowl XLIV.
Klavoon’s competition comes from all over the country. The other semifinalists include Michael Smith of Palm Court, Fla.; Michael Leonard of Missoula, Mont.; and Dave Farmer of Loveland, Ohio.
Smith’s creation was the “Beer Mobile,” a remote control cooler on wheels. The Beer Mobile can deliver fresh cold cans of beer without anyone having to get up out of their seat at a tailgate party. Leonard’s tailgating idea was the “Tummy Table,” a tray that comes with two shoulder straps and a belt. A person attaches the tray to themselves so its in front of them, serving as a portable table wherever they go. Farmer’s tailgating product was the “Band O Beer,” a sash loaded with beer cans that a person wears across their chest. That person can easily carry a number of cans with them. Farmer is the leader with about 41 percent of the vote.
A Starpoint graduate, Klavoon is a big sports fan. He has played baseball, softball, football and recently won a KanJam world championship with his brother, Eric, in August. Klavoon has also been to a number of Buffalo Bills games, tailgating beforehand, of course.
Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.
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