I noticed this a couple of weeks ago, but it seems more odd this time.
Driving to work, I pass a parking lot shared by the zoo, a park, and War Memorial Stadium.
Beginning Tuesday it was full of RVs awaiting the football game between Arkansas and LSU on Friday. That’s four days, including Thanksgiving, spent living in an RV three feet away from other RVs with nights possibly below freezing.
Who are these people?
Southeastern Conference football fans, which is to say serious football fans. They’re prepared to spend a lot of money to maintain their devotion, making them popular with organizers of postseason bowl games even if the team in question didn’t have the greatest season. For example, the University of Tennessee played in the Cotton Bowl in 2005, when the team finished fifth in the SEC’s eastern division; the 1988 Peach Bowl (finished sixth in pre-division conference); the 1986 Liberty Bowl (finished sixth); the 1984 Sun Bowl (finished tied for fifth); the 1982 Peach Bowl (finished fifth); you get the picture. Local merchants like big-spending football fans from out of town.
ColonelDax, SEC alumnus (Nashville branch)
(I realize the above can apply to other conferences as well; my reply is based on my own immediate experience.)
Actually, no, I don’t have a clue, but thanks anyway. 
Sounds like a damn good party to me. Those RVs are enormous, and typically very comfortable. I would imagine that Thanksgiving spent with about 50 of your closest friends would be a blast.
I wish I was there. LSU is my team, and I hope they kick Arkansas’ butts. Sounds like a good time to me.
I used to bet money on Texas whenever they played Arkansas, and won, but shouldn’t that be “Arkansas’ butt” or “Arkansan butts”?
Oakland Raider fans will start their tailgating for a Monday night game on Friday afternoon.
It’s a big party. The same people show up every time and have been doing it for years so it’s like a big reunion every time.
I hate to defend the Vols, but most of those bowl games didn’t happen when you said they did. They did play in the 2005 Cotton Bowl, but it was in January 2005, after the 2004 season in which they went 9-3 and won the SEC East. In the 2005 regular season, they went 5-6, finished fifth in the East and were not eligible to play in a bowl game. The 1988 Peach Bowl occured after the '87 season where they went 9-2-1. The '86 Liberty Bowl was in December of '86, and they did go 6-5 that year, but the Liberty Bowl is one of the crappier SEC bowl games. Kentucky is currently projected to be in the Liberty Bowl this season.
Although you have a point, I’ve seen more than one instance of the Gators getting to play in a bowl game they probably didn’t deserve due to the rabid fan base who would sell out bowl games all over the place.
My favorite tailgating scenerio to watch is when people come a couple days early to start tailgating for the spring football game. I love football, but even when I lived in Gainesville I wasn’t very excited about the Orange and Blue game. I can’t imagine the dedication it takes drive in from out of town several days early and live in your RV just to watch a glorified practice. Don’t these people have jobs? Actually, looking at the RV crowd, I’m sure large numbers of them are retired. And that’s not necessarily a bad way to spend your retirement. And I guess during the offseason they can go to places other than Columbia, SC and Lexington, KY.