XFL beer snake, explained: How D.C. Defenders fans started league's most epic tradition

Dan Treacy

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XFL beer snake, explained: How D.C. Defenders fans started league's most epic tradition image

Starting a league from scratch isn't easy, as the AAF found out in 2019 and the XFL has now realized a few times.

While the XFL's relaunch brought many new components in 2023, the league wasn't totally starting anew. Some teams returned from the last XFL relaunch in 2020, and one of those teams — the D.C. Defenders — saw its fans pick up right where they left off three years ago.

Defenders supporters are responsible for the XFL's most recognizable fan tradition: the beer snake.

It isn't just any beer snake. The D.C. crowd has produced some of the most impressive beer snakes in sports. The Defenders fed off of their fans' energy all season and finished a league-best 9-1. Now, they're one win away from a championship.

MORE: Renegades vs. Defenders odds, prediction, expert betting tips for 2023 XFL Championship

Here's what you need to know about the Defenders' beer snake tradition and how it started. 

What is the Defenders' beer snake tradition?

A beer snake is a long, winding stack of empty plastic cups that resembles a snake. While Defenders fans might claim the beer snake as a team tradition, they definitely didn't start the practice. Beer snakes have become common in some MLB stadiums and other sporting venues.

ESPN reported earlier in the season that the Defenders' beer snake grew as long as 1,240 cups in one game, amounting to about 20,000 ounces of beer. It's an expensive tradition but a thoroughly impressive one considering Defenders fans were able to reach the top of Audi Field with their snake.

The Defenders are 6-0 at home this season, including their playoff win over the Sea Dragons, and their success might inspire other fan bases to try and start their own traditions. 

MORE: Second-half surge carries Defenders to XFL title game

How did the Defenders' beer snake tradition start?

When the beer snakes started gaining traction early in the Defenders' season, fans insisted it was a team tradition. Believe it or not, they weren't lying. Defenders fans put together a few viral beer snakes during the XFL's brief relaunch in 2020, which was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was the final beer snake before the season was canceled, and it was a beauty. 

Defenders fans didn't waste any time when the XFL started up again this season. They crafted a massive beer snake in Week 1, only for security to tell them to break it up. 

MORE: D.C. Defenders beer snake, by the numbers

As you might imagine, fans didn't take their orders too seriously. They started throwing lemons on the field, causing a brief delay. On the other end of it, the Defenders fed off their raucous crowd and forced an interception. 

Defenders fans again put together a beer snake that was long enough to take over an entire section during the team's playoff win over the Sea Dragons in April. 

Will enough D.C. fans make it out to San Antonio to replicate the tradition in the XFL championship game? It won't be easy, considering the game is played at a neutral site, but the Defenders will be a significant favorite against the Renegades with or without their fans behind them. 

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.