Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Welcome to L-L-L-L-Lambeau Field!

Last week we drove up to "meet" our new seats in the freshly completed south end of Lambeau Field, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Our original bench seats were in section 110, mid-bowl, on the 20 yd. line.  Pretty decent seats, but when the option of the new south section opened up - offering actual molded chairs with backs, arms, cup holders and leg room(!) - we jumped at the chance and were lucky enough to be selected.  Our new location is just left of the south end zone with a great bird's eye view of the field and we are also under cover should it rain or snow.



My husband was a loyal Green Bay Packers fan even when they were a losing team back in the 70's. So in 1979, when the Pack still played a few games each year at County Stadium in Milwaukee, my husband drove over to the ticket office after work one day on a whim and put himself on the season ticket waiting list.  Each year as they continued to play woefully - through the shadowy coaching of Bart Starr and Forrest Gregg - fair weather fans would drop off the list while we moved steadily up.

Finally, in 1989, he got the letter.  We were at the top of the list!  And it only took 10 years!  We've had our four seats every year since, and you can be sure that we will go hungry or lose our house before my husband would let those tickets go!

Those early years offered three games at County Stadium, but since 1995, the Packers have played exclusively at Lambeau Field up in Green Bay.  The Milwaukee (or "Gold") package still offers three games per year, and when we pass on, the tickets will be willed to our son and daughter.... lucky them!  With over 100,000 people on the waiting list, it can literally take a lifetime - or more - to get tickets.  Never mind the tickets - many people are even willing their spot on the waiting list to their children.

That, my friends, is a Green Bay Packers fan!


6 comments:

Tamera said...

Go Big Green! Wooooooot! I've been a Packer fan all my life, as a native Wisconsinite. I can understand your husband's passion! (Although in the interests of full disclosure, I am understandably more of a Broncos fan now.) Lucky you for having season tix, wow!

Judy said...

Wow! I had no idea it was that hard to get tickets. That is quite a story and I like the portrait a lot.

MJ said...

Tamera: you are allowed a pass on the Broncos ;-) The unforgivable teams are the Bears and the Vikings!
Judy: I know, right? - & who could guess that a waiting list would ever get that long!

Kate said...

How have I missed your blog? I, too, am a loyal Packers fan and remember well the ribbing I got during the '70's. I used to fly for North Central (as a local girl!) and used to take those guys on charter flights to and from games. Bart Starr was a real gentleman! Some of the other guys not so much, tho. I now live in Minnesota and survive quite well in a divided football home; surrounded by Vikings, I remain the lone, stalwart Packer fan and proud of it!

MJ said...

Kate: North Central? I remember it well. It was the only airline in (or out!) of La Crosse where I grew up. Glad to hear you are still a brave Packers fan in the land of the Vikings. ;-)

Lowell said...

Wow, you guys really are fans! We were big fans of the Cowboys when we lived in Dallas in the early 70s but don't even watch football anymore. :)