Tailgate Clothing
Tailgate Clothing is a vintage sports-inspired apparel brand historically focused on college and t-shirt apparel, founded by Todd Snyder as a personal side-hustle venture in 2008 to fund the launch of his eponymous menswear brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersDes Moines, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tailgate Clothing does
Tailgate Clothing is a vintage sports-inspired apparel brand historically positioned around college apparel, specifically t-shirts. According to the most detailed source material, it was launched in 2008 by Todd Snyder as a personal side-hustle venture during the financial crisis; an alternative firmographic record lists a 1997 founding date, but the more specific company-history source governs. The business was a single-product apparel operation (t-shirts and collegiate apparel) and was never formally incorporated or independently operated as a standalone company. Its primary commercial purpose was to generate funding that enabled Snyder to launch and grow his eponymous high-end Todd Snyder menswear brand.
No business model details — pricing, distribution channels, wholesale versus direct-to-consumer mix, customer segmentation, or revenue mechanics — are documented in the available sources. The firmographic record lists 11-50 employees and a Des Moines, United States base, but this conflicts with the side-hustle characterization and may reflect directory-level aggregation rather than confirmed operational scale. There are no disclosed funding rounds, partnerships, certifications, regulatory actions, or technology platform components.
The company's product surface is narrow: t-shirts with a vintage sports/college theme. Its operating status is described ambiguously as "operating" in the source record, but with no independent incorporation, no formal corporate structure, and no documented ongoing operations, the entity is effectively a historical stepping stone to the Todd Snyder fashion brand rather than an active investable business in its own right.
Tailgate Clothing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tailgate Clothing
- Website
- https://tailgateclothing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tailgate Clothing is a vintage sports-inspired apparel brand historically focused on college and t-shirt apparel, founded by Todd Snyder as a personal side-hustle venture in 2008 to fund the launch of his eponymous menswear brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tailgate Clothing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vintage Sports Apparel
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (3152)
- SIC
- Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Athletic Footwear & Sport Apparel Retail (CRAMABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Tops & Shirts Cut & Sew (T-Shirts/Shirts/Blouses) (IMAOAEAE)
Keywords
Where Tailgate Clothing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Tailgate Clothing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Tailgate Clothing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tailgate Clothing was a vintage sports-inspired apparel brand that sold college-themed t-shirts and casual apparel to individual consumers. The business operated as a small, founder-led side-hustle venture launched in 2008 and functioned primarily as a funding source for founder Todd Snyder's subsequent high-end menswear brand rather than as a scaled standalone retail operation.
Product overview
Tailgate Clothing was a single-product apparel business (t-shirts and college apparel) that served as a side-hustle for founder Todd Snyder. The company operated as a standalone venture before enabling Snyder to build his current fashion empire. No other products, services, or modules are documented in the available sources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tailgate Clothing T-Shirts and College Apparel
Companies that use Tailgate Clothing
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Tailgate Clothing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Tailgate Clothing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves2 records
Tailgate Clothing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rowing Blazers: Heritage/vintage-inspired apparel brand known for blending collegiate and sport aesthetics. Closest direct comparable to Tailgate's vintage sports-inspired positioning, targeting style-conscious consumers seeking retro athletic wear.
- '47 Brand: Licensed sports lifestyle brand specializing in headwear and apparel for MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, and collegiate leagues. Comparable to Tailgate in the licensed sports/collegiate apparel segment with broader product depth.
- BreakingT: Sports-licensed apparel company producing timely, pop-culture-driven collegiate and pro-sports tees. Comparable business model focused on sports-themed apparel and directly competitive in the licensed sports t-shirt category.
- Rally House: Multi-store retailer of licensed collegiate and professional sports apparel and merchandise. Comparable in the college apparel retail channel that Tailgate originally targeted with its t-shirt business.
- Homage Tees: Vintage-inspired apparel brand specializing in retro sports, music, and pop-culture graphic tees. Directly comparable to Tailgate in product category (graphic t-shirts) and positioning (vintage/retro sports aesthetic).
Broad incumbents
- Champion (Hanesbrands): Iconic athletic and collegiate apparel brand with a heritage line that overlaps directly with Tailgate's vintage sports-inspired aesthetic. Massive scale, licensed college relationships, and broad distribution make Champion the dominant incumbent in this category.
Emerging players
- The Mountain: Independent apparel brand known for graphic, nature and sport-themed t-shirts with a strong direct-to-consumer presence. Comparable as a smaller, graphic-tee-focused apparel brand with a distinctive aesthetic identity.
- Todd Snyder (brand): The eponymous menswear brand launched by the same founder using proceeds from Tailgate Clothing. Operates in adjacent premium menswear space with shared DNA in heritage/Americana aesthetics, making it a uniquely comparable sibling entity.
- Outerknown: Sustainable apparel brand founded by surfer Kelly Slater with a heritage/Americana design language. Comparable as a founder-led apparel brand with a distinct aesthetic positioning and direct-to-consumer model.
Regional players
- Sportscraft: Heritage-inspired casualwear brand with strong collegiate and preppy styling cues. Comparable in vintage-heritage aesthetic but primarily serves Australian and select international markets rather than competing directly with Tailgate in the U.S.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat1 record
Key risks1 record
Key highlights3 records
Customer concentration
Tailgate Clothing social profiles
Digital presenceTailgate Clothing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tailgate Clothing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tailgate Clothing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tailgate Clothing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tailgate Clothing
What does Tailgate Clothing do?
Tailgate Clothing was a vintage sports-inspired apparel brand that sold college-themed t-shirts and casual apparel to individual consumers. The business operated as a small, founder-led side-hustle venture launched in 2008 and functioned primarily as a funding source for founder Todd Snyder's subsequent high-end menswear brand rather than as a scaled standalone retail operation.
Is Tailgate Clothing a public or private company?
Tailgate Clothing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tailgate Clothing founded?
Tailgate Clothing was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tailgate Clothing based?
Tailgate Clothing is headquartered in Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Tailgate Clothing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rowing Blazers, '47 Brand, BreakingT, Rally House and Homage Tees. Champion (Hanesbrands) is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are The Mountain, Todd Snyder (brand) and Outerknown. Sportscraft is listed as a regional player.
Does Tailgate Clothing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tailgate Clothing.
What industry is Tailgate Clothing in?
Tailgate Clothing's product category is Vintage Sports Apparel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMABAC, Athletic Footwear & Sport Apparel Retail, with a secondary code of IMAOAEAE, Tops & Shirts Cut & Sew (T-Shirts/Shirts/Blouses). Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 3949.