One of the biggest fan traditions to emerge from the 2026 baseball season didn't start with a mascot or a chant. Instead, it involved fans ripping off their shirts and spinning them over their heads in an attempt to fire up the stadium during big moments.

Known as the "Tarps Off Trend," the celebration craze has spread across college football, Major League Baseball (MLB) and other sporting events, turning shirt-twirling into a viral rallying ritual.

While most people have probably only heard of this phenomenon in the last couple of months, the trend goes back much further and riffs on the slang term "tarp," referring to a shirt, that's been around even longer.

So, where did this trend originally start, and how did it become one of the defining sports fan crazes of 2026? Let's explain.

@felicianaa_ @San Francisco Giants finally part of the tarps off 😂😂 #sfgiants #tarpsoff ♬ MTG SATISFACTION – CREEPYMANE

Where Does The 'Tarps Off' Trend Come From?

The phrase "tarps off" is slang for going shirtless, but the viral sports trend largely traces its origins to an Oklahoma State (OSU) football game back in October 2025.

During the game, fan Trent Eaton reportedly accepted a $10 bet from his sister to enter the student section, remove his shirt and wave it over his head.

A TikTok video of Eaton enthusiastically twirling his shirt while surrounded by an otherwise subdued crowd quickly went viral. As more fans joined in, the moment became the blueprint for what would later become known as the "Tarps Off" trend.

@___sarahscott it all started with one man, and a dream #oklahomastate #shirts #fyp #worldrecord #shirtlessguys ♬ original sound – lil’ soup

Over the following months, similar displays appeared at college football games across the United States before making the jump to professional sports and the MLB.

The movement gained renewed momentum in the spring of 2026 after fans at a Colorado Rockies game adopted the celebration, while the phrase "tarps off" itself also became increasingly common in sports clips shared online.

Idk if I have ever seen so many shirtless guys cheering for the Rockies at the same time before (& the pile keeps growing..) pic.twitter.com/8d3lFIyjm3

— Shannon (@LoveTheRox) April 8, 2026

How Is The 'Tarps Off' Trend Used?

The trend reached a new level of popularity in May 2026 when members of the Stephen F. Austin State University baseball team attended a St. Louis Cardinals game at Busch Stadium.

Attempting to energize the crowd during a comeback, the players removed their shirts and spun them over their heads, helping spark an atmosphere that culminated in a Cardinals walk-off victory.

Bad day to be a shirt!

Oli invited the Tarp Crew down to meet the team! pic.twitter.com/7ZSIVLfLHQ

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 16, 2026

Videos of the celebration quickly spread across social media in May, prompting the Cardinals to embrace the movement by inviting the "Tarp Crew" to meet the team and later designating an official shirt-optional fan section in the stadium.

Throughout the summer of 2026, the tradition spread to stadiums across Major League Baseball, with fans at games involving the Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros and other teams adopting the celebration.

Tarps Off is sweeping the nation!

Tonight the craze hits Tropicana Field 🤣 pic.twitter.com/uRXMfjzC9Y

— MLB (@MLB) May 19, 2026

The trend also inspired commentary videos, memes and parodies, including posts showing women participating, such as one shared under the "Women in Male-Dominated Fields" meme format, cementing "Tarps Off" as one of the summer's biggest sports trends.

@_nins___ Had to remove the sound because the Sam Adams summer ale removed my ability to sing #tarpsoff #redsox #fenwaypark ♬ Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond

What Are Some Examples Of The 'Tarps Off' Trend?

@tamarshertv What started as innocent fun at the ballpark turned into a “Tarps Off” movement at Busch Stadium. Now, it’s a thing across @MLB. I went into the stands to find out how it all began. @St. Louis Cardinals | @KMOV #fyp #foryoupage #tarpsoff #mlb ♬ original sound – Tamar Sher

@jeffpearlmanauthor The Tarps Off movement at Angels Stadium is absolutely insane. Just watch! #tarpsoff #angels #artemoreno #mlb #selltheteam ♬ original sound – Jeff Pearlman

@rays Tarps off let’s goooo #mlb #fyp #raysup #tampabayrays #tarpsoff ♬ original sound – TAMPA BAY RAYS

@tantheman___ Where it all started 🥹 #oksate #football #tarpsoff #fyp #viral ♬ original sound – Science Channel

@bravescentral TARPS OFF IN ATLANTA‼️‼️‼️ #fyp #baseball #braves #tarpsoff ♬ original sound – Braves Central

@cardinals if you say so #cardinals #mlb #burly #homerun #tarpsoff ♬ original sound – St. Louis Cardinals

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For the full history of the Tarps Off trend, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for even more information.