Traveling Tigers helps LSU fans take to the road
Certain LSU away games are etched in Sally Stiel’s memory.
“One I’ll talk about forever was the season opener in Las Vegas and the massive tailgate we had at the House of Blues,” she says. “There were almost 3,000 people in the room.”
LSU’s much-hyped 2024 faceoff against USC brought a tsunami of purple and gold to Sin City. And while it wasn’t enough to secure a win, the Tiger Nation succeeded in showcasing its indelible brand of passion.
Another historic battle, this one against SEC rival Auburn during the 2018 season, also sticks in Stiel’s memory, thanks to LSU placekicker Cole Tracy’s last-minute 42-yard game-winning field goal. Snatching victory from a longtime rival was even sweeter for the fans who witnessed it in person.
“We had a small group who had gone over on a bus trip, and that kick just changed the entire mood,” Stiel says. “There’s just something different about getting a win like that on the road.”
As the organizer of the LSU Alumni Association’s group travel program known as Traveling Tigers, Stiel sees the magic that happens when the LSU faithful gather for away games. The longtime program hosts excursions to rival cities that help extend the university’s well-known pageantry.
“It takes the excitement of Tiger Stadium on a Saturday and brings it on the road,” says Stiel, LSU Alumni Association vice president of marketing, travel and corporate partnerships. “You have folks of every age on these trips, with a lot of repeat travelers. It becomes a mini family.”
Traveling Tigers has existed for 40 years and is best known for coordinating both football and women’s basketball away-game fan trips. The events range from single tailgates to extended weekend packages with bonus activities beyond the game itself. The program also offers leisure and educational excursions through third-party partners.
The mood is electric among fans who sign up for away games, Stiel says. From the time they arrive en masse with their LSU swag to their boisterous (or muted) departure after the game, there’s a palpable sense of excitement.
“You can feel the energy when you walk into a hotel lobby and you see all those fellow fans,” she says.
LSU’s deep traditions can’t help but seep into the local backdrop, Stiel adds.
“You’ll hear groups of fans walking through downtown or in a bar start chanting,” she says. “Someone will yell, ‘Go!’ and then you’ll hear ‘Tigers!’ It’s a really fun experience.”
This article was originally published in 225 Magazine’s 2026 Tiger Pride edition.
