EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Sports fans and tailgaters attending NFL games at the recently completed $1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium have direct access to authentic gourmet tailgating food plus a real tailgating experience—not only within the Stadium's gates but also outside in the parking lot—because of an innovative joint venture between Weber Grills and Lobel's Prime Meats.
Officially launched with the Jets vs. Giants pre-season game this week, the Lobel's & Weber Grilling Station™ features professional chefs grilling Lobel's USDA prime meats on huge Weber® Ranch® Kettle charcoal grills (each grill has a whopping 1,104-inch cooking area) to sell gourmet sandwiches exclusively to tailgaters and other game attendees. Located in parking lot "L," adjacent to Meadowlands Racetrack and directly outside from the Pepsi Gate, sports fans will also be able to ask on-site Weber and Lobel's experts about grilling tips, tailgating recipes, and products while sharing their own experiences around the grill. Both companies have signed a deal with the state-of-the-art sports complex.
"We put this partnership together with Lobel's and Weber to offer upscale, hot-off-the-grill food in a parking lot before fans enter a stadium," said Ken Ferriter, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for the Meadowlands. "Tailgating has become a huge tradition here, and this project celebrates and embraces it."
In addition to a new, patented Lobel's USDA Prime Wrangler™ Steak Sandwich, consumers can purchase other offerings such as a Charred Boneless USDA Prime Short Rib Sandwich, a USDA Prime Grilled Skirt Steak Sandwich, and an Organic Chicken Kabob Sandwich.
According to Mark Lobel, co-owner of Lobel's, after the company experienced success selling its USDA prime steak sandwich inside Yankee Stadium, the family came up with the Grill Station idea. "We had this vision of offering the highest quality food directly to fans within a true tailgating experience. We immediately called Weber Grills to be our partner because we're like-minded brands, and we've had a long-standing relationship."
A second Lobel's & Weber Grilling Station will be staged within the Meadowlands' "Railgate" area, where a new rail line directly drops off passengers from New York's Penn Station—only a 20-minute trip. There, the gourmet sandwiches will be cooked on models from Weber's luxury Summit gas grill line—specifically, on Weber® Summit® S-620™ gas grills—where fans can also enjoy a live band, sit-down eating, and various other food and entertainment options. The Railgate area is in the Bud Light Party Plaza.
"According to the latest Weber Tailgating Study, one in five U.S. tailgaters say they've 'gone gourmet,'" said Mike Kempster, Weber executive vice president. "They're looking for new recipe ideas beyond burgers and brats. The Lobel's & Weber Grilling Stations will encourage consumers to not only learn first-hand from experts how easy it is to tailgate with the proper grill and food, but to also design their own successful gourmet parking lot menus."
For a limited time, a downloadable version of the B-Roll footage is available at the following link: http://rcpt.yousendit.com/930797715/889a5eda62c227b05cd86f5b1c0cb8d7
About Weber
Weber-Stephen Products Co., headquartered in Palatine, Ill., is the world's premier manufacturer of charcoal and gas grills, grilling accessories and other outdoor room products. In 1952, founder George Stephen sparked a backyard revolution with his invention of the Weber® kettle. More than 50 years later, the family-owned company remains the industry leader with its Weber®, Weber® Q®, and Ducane® brands. As a leading exporter of grills, Weber brand products are sold worldwide at select home centers, hardware stores, department stores, patio stores, and other retail outlets. Weber has the strongest consumer outreach program in the industry with its Weber Grill-Line(SM) (1-800-GRILL-OUT®); Weber's On The Grill™ mobile applications; and a content-rich website with grilling tips, techniques, and original Weber recipes at www.weber.com®. (The Weber Grill-Line and Weber Customer Service are closed on Christmas.)
About Lobel's
Lobel's specializes in gourmet meats—the finest USDA prime, Natural Prime and American Wagyu beef, all-natural veal and lamb, fresh poultry, Berkshire pork and specialty products. Lobel's history dates back more than 170 years and five generations. During the past 60 years, the Lobels have cultivated a reputation as the "butchers to the stars" for the celebrity clientele who flock to their Madison Avenue storefront in the heart of Manhattan's Upper Eastside. The Lobels expanded their business nationally in 2000 with an online butcher shop and mail-order service backed by the family's legendary customer service and the promise of fresh overnight delivery of their meats. They have since been rated as the top mail-order steak purveyor by a number of prominent critics. For additional information, visit the Web site at www.lobels.com or call toll-free 1-877-783-4512.
About The New Meadowlands Stadium
The New Meadowlands Stadium, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, sets the standard for venue excellence, with state-of-the-art technology, comfort and amenities. With a full seating capacity of 82,500, the New Meadowlands Stadium is the third-largest stadium in the National Football League. Highlights include four massive 30' X 118' HD video display boards in each of the stadium corners; a 48" X 1810' ribbon board that circles the interior bowl; 2100 + HD Monitors throughout the stadium; and 20 HD video pylons ranging in size from 20' X 40' to 20' X 60'. Outside the stadium, a 350,000-square-foot outdoor plaza will boast fan-centric activities and pregame entertainment zones. The new stadium will have numerous dining options, wider concourses and more HD square footage than any other stadium in North America. A signature amenity of the stadium is the brand new rail line that drops off passengers directly in front of the stadium.
Source: Weber-Stephen Products Co.