Lambeau Field is a magical place. For many years I hoped to visit and experience the beauty of a game at the historic stadium. As someone who grew up in Florida, the task wasn’t exactly the easiest to get up to Green Bay. I met my wife and a little over a year into dating, she surprised me with tickets to a game. A lifelong dream was finally happening. We saw the Texans at Packers on December 4th 2016. Not only did I get to see the Packers play but I saw snow for the first time. A truly magical experience all around.
There is so much to do at Lambeau on gameday and in the days leading up to a home game. Every Packer fan should be able to experience Lambeau Field. I’m going to highlight 7 reasons that you should stop putting off that trip up to the Frozen Tundra. Lets get into it.
Reason 1- The History
Lambeau Field is one of the most iconic, if not the most iconic stadiums in all of professional sports. In the years since Lambeau opened for the first time in 1957, there have been countless games, and moments that are enshrined in packer lore. From Bart Starr and the iconic Ice Bowl game in 1967 to Aaron Rodgers and his comeback against the Bears in 2018. One of my Favorites, The “He Did What” Antonio Freeman catch. Another favorite of mine the “We Want The Ball And Were Gonna Score” game against the Seahawks. The Lambeau Field tunnel has seen Hall of Famers and Fan Favorites alike walk out the tunnel to loyal Packer fans for all that time.
Part of the history of iconic players leads into the fact that if you want season tickets for Packer games you’re going to wait upwards of 30 years. The Packers are beloved and are in the smallest market by far in all of the NFL. The population in Green Bay was only roughly 104,000 as of 2019.
1919
The Packers were founded in 1919 by the Green Bay legend Earl “Curly” Lambeau. The name “Packers” comes from The Indian Packing Company which employed Curly. The Indian Packing Company gave Curly 500 dollars in return for uniforms and equipment. For the first two years of existence, the Packers played against local teams from surrounding areas in Wisconsin and the Michigan Upper Peninsula. 2 years later in 1921, the Packers joined the American Professional Football Association and became known as the Acme Packers.
In 1923, the Packers fell on money problems and in order to help garner funds. Articles of incorporation were filed with Wisconsin’s Secretary of State thus starting the first of 5 stock sales. The 5 stock sales happened in 1923, 1935, 1950, 1997, and most recently 2011. As of today, 361,169 fans own just over 5 million shares in the Packers.
Today, the Packers are still owned by the fans, and the only professional American sports team with a Board Of Directors.
As of today, the Packers have 13 League Championships including 4 Super Bowls. Their 13 Championships are still the most in all of American Professional Football.
Reason 2- Stadium Tours
Stadium Tours of Lambeau are available during select days, during the season, and off-season. The Stadium Tours are approximately an hour long and will take you along the Lambeau Field Atrium, Premium Seating Areas. Along the way, you will learn about the history of the Packers, and Lambeau. There are many photo ops and beautiful views of Lambeau along the way.
The highlight of the tour is walking through the same tunnel that players have walked through since the first days of Lambeau. You get to stand on the same grass that Packer legends have stood on. This is an absolute highlight for any Packer fan. Stadium Tours are an absolute must and a highlight of any Lambeau Trip. More information and tickets can be found here.
Reason 3- The Packers Hall Of Fame
The Packers Hall Of Fame is a two story 15,000 square foot memorable experience. You see countless items from the history of the Packers. Fans can scroll through touch screens to hear about Packers history from some of the players who lived the history themselves. Among the Hall Of Fame are nine permanent galleries and two temporary spaces for rotating exhibits.
This is the place to go if you want to see up close Packers history for yourselves. Some of the fan favorites are a replica of Vince Lombardi’s office, 13 replica trophies, and 4 Lombardi trophies honoring the 13 current Packers championships. A wall of footballs dedicated to all 162 current members of the Green Bay Packers Hall Of Fame. Tickets and more information can be found here.
Reason 4- The Packers Pro Shop
Bring your wallet and credit card because anything and everything Packers fan be found here. Anything from jerseys to mugs to enough wall decor to fill all of your walls are all at your fingertips. It’s the Packers Pro Shop online, but even more tempting in person. The place is huge so be prepared to spend some time here. But I’ll warn you, good luck walking out with empty hands.
Reason 5- Packers Game Day Tailgating
Pregame festivities at Lambeau are an absolute must. Get to the stadium early and find parking so you can enjoy as much of the environment as possible. Whether you bust out your own grill or stop by Kroll’s West, there’s plenty of stuff to do. Kroll’s West are famous for their Wisconsin Butter Burger. Kroll’s has been a part of Packers history and tradition for 80 years.
The Packers have their own dedicated area for tailgating aptly named the “Johnsonville Tailgate Village”. The pregame festivities are free for fans to enjoy live music and full Packer themed atmosphere. Food and drinks are readily available for purchase. During my last visit to Lambeau, this is where we spent most our our time pregame. Whatever you do pregame you will surely enjoy taking all there is to see in the surrounding areas of the beautiful Lambeau Field.
Reason 6- Game Day
The absolute pinnacle of a trip to Lambeau. There is nothing like it in the world. The closer you get to see the field and the players warming up, the more real it becomes. From the screaming fans, to the bleacher seats, there’s almost no way to describe how amazing it is to finally see your Packers live and in front of your own 2 eyes. The whole field is visible and you really get to see what is lacking from a home broadcast. Seeing Lambeau Field during a game day is an absolute sight for sore eyes. Make sure to take plenty of photos because you’ll want to remember this forever.
Reason 7- The Memories
You will make your own memories to take back home like I did. For me, it was seeing snow for the first time as I saw the place I would have wanted to visit for most of my life. Seeing Packers fans like myself walk through Lambeau, knowing they feel the same way I do about the Packers, is amazing in itself. There are plenty of opportunities to make memories at Lambeau. Bring your camera and take in as many moments as you can. It may take more than a weekend to do it all, but I promise you’ll never forget your time at Lambeau.
Go Pack Go!
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