Being a Packer Fan Isn’t Free…
Football has been part of Green Bay, WI for 95 years. The first Packer – Bear game was in 1921. Green Bay won their first NFL title in 1929. Green Bay is the smallest city to have an NFL team. Throughout the many years the residents have created a fan culture that has seeped into our very core. For those growing up in Green Bay it is difficult not to be a Green Bay Packer fan.
Just consider this fan training schedule:
It starts right when they are born…Packer onesie for the newborn. The first mini football is purchased ready for their first throw. Their name is placed on the ticket list so they might get tickets before they die. Season tickets have been sold out since 1960.
As the child grows, they attend Packer practice sitting in the bleachers, or riding their bike and offering it to a Packer player to ride from the locker room to the practice field. They can join the family attending a scrimmage before the season actually starts. At school – my kids were required to wear packer colors on Friday if they wanted pizza for lunch.
Packer clothing is a standard Christmas present for any age.
Each family has their own coming of age – the time you attend your first real football game.
As a teenager you watch the adults get loud and drunk while watching the game or sneak into a tail gate party.
As an adult – tailgating is a requirement. You may even start planning your own tailgate party or menu. You may paint your fence with a packer slogan. You make sure there isn’t a packer game on the weekend you plan your wedding. Consider planning your next vacation at an away game.
Part of business – If you work downtown you may attend a city wide pep rally on Friday afternoon at 3:00 right downtown in the middle of the street. For business networking you may attend a business Packer lunch. Of course football is a worldwide acceptable topic; almost everyone knows where Green Bay is.
And finally before you expire, make sure that your Packer tickets are included in your will and you have filled out the correct paperwork to transfer the ownership.
Mary Guldan-Lindstrom
