Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers plan to have fans in the stands at Lambeau Field.
Green Bay Packers football is everything in their small Wisconsin town.
The Packers are the last team of its kind in North American professional sports. While every other team has moved to the big cities and become increasingly more corporate by the decade, Green Bay is the only franchise that is still owned by the fans. Though the draw very heavily from nearby metropolis Milwaukee, the Packers have and probably always will do things differently.
One of the most unique parts of their football culture is their season ticket holding process. People spend decades, even lifetimes, waiting in line to cheer on The Pack from their own personally licensed seats. So yeah, the Packers organization are going to do everything in their power to get fans’ butts in the seats in the midst of the global pandemic. Here’s what they’re planning to do.
Per The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, “The team is preparing to have fans in attendance with new policies and safety measures to allow for appropriate social distancing, which will require the stadium’s seating capacity to be significantly reduced. Face coverings also will be required…”
Green Bay Packers games to be played in front of reduced capacity crowds.
The Packers organization is giving season ticket holders the opportunity to “opt in” and have their chance to reserve seats for the 2020 campaign. If season ticket holders plan to “opt out”, they have the choice of a refund for their 2020 season ticket package or have it credited towards the 2021 NFL season. It will be interesting to see what the percentages are in either direction.
Given the harsh winter climate of Green Bay, Wisconsin, wearing face coverings from Halloween on isn’t going to be much of an issue. It’ll be pretty cold up there, so staying warm will also help stop the spread of the coronavirus should it ramp up yet again during flu season. What will be interesting is to what degree of limited capacity we’re talking about here at Lambeau Field.
Unlike the other 31 NFL franchises, there are things to do outside of watching a professional football game to stimulate the economy. Not to say Green Bay has nothing else going for it, but small markets like Buffalo and Jacksonville are still major cities in the United States. The Packers may have a top-three fanbase in the league, but they may feel the economic impact the most.
The Packers are planning to play in front of fans this year, if we are allowed to have fans at games.