Are Packers Fans Most Loyal?
By jasonperone
As the Green Bay Packers wound down their last practice session before training camp last week, I began to go through my mental list of things that I could write about and discuss with you all over the next five weeks or so. As I sat down and prepared to work on this particular piece, I glanced at my Twitter timeline and saw several posts about this year's Family Night practice. Our very own Jayme Snowden wrote about it earlier today as well. This is an annual tradition at Lambeau Field and is an evening practice that takes place in the stadium and attended by fans. Over 70,000 fans, that is. For a practice.
For as long as I can remember, Family Night has been a sold out affair and one of the highlights of the summer practice schedule. Over the past few seasons, the team has moved away from the scrimmage format that they used to employ and it's now just a normal practice session. That change has clearly not detracted fans from coming out and, once again, the practice sold out in just over a day.
It begs the question that I have heard asked a few times before. Are Packers fans the best in football? Are they most loyal? To say yes or no to either question is a matter of opinion, but it sparks a great discussion. How many other NFL teams would sell out a practice in August? There are a few, for sure. The Packers aren't alone there. Many football fans are stir crazy by the dog days of summer and will travel to any length, pay any price and make many sacrifices to see their home team beat up on each other in preparation of the upcoming season.
Packers fans filling up Lambeau continues to impress the media that cover the team year after year. Perhaps there will come a time when they won't flock to see this featured practice session, but for now, you can almost count on a sold out Family Night as much as you can a regular season Sunday in Green Bay.
This year, there's a lot to be excited about. The Packers are coming off of an appearance in the conference championship game. A game they should have won on the road and against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Green Bay is returning all of their starters on offense and have added a few nice pieces to the defense. Bovada in Las Vegas has given the Packers 6/1 odds to win this year's Super Bowl. Those are the best odds of any other team. The Seahawks were previously atop that list, but now sit at 13/2. And as is the case every season, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the Packers should always have some of the best odds in the league anyway.
Since there's no football action for awhile, why not revel in a discussion about how fortunate the Packers are to have such a loyal following. It's a source of pride for the team and fans themselves should also be proud to be among some of the longest-standing NFL fans in existence. The Packers have been around nearly 100 years and while they've had their down times, their popularity is at one of the highest levels in their history. An upcoming sold out practice in August is just the latest proof.
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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts. You can follow him on Twitter here
Comments (18)
DrealynWilliams
June 24, 2015 at 04:22 pm
Best fans? I would say yes! The most loyal? I can't call it.
FITZCORE1252
June 24, 2015 at 05:33 pm
Tough to say without going on a prolonged dry-spell. A decade or two of suck would likely weed out alot of these 20 something "die-hards" that only know winning.
Tundraboy
June 24, 2015 at 06:10 pm
I lived a very long dry spell and it is not the last one most likely but I hope never to have one that long ever again. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been loyal. For that period alone after such greatness we have to be the most loyal fans. Have to.
jeremyjjbrown
June 25, 2015 at 05:43 pm
Yep, I lived through 10 years of bad football before Wolf came to town.
I believe the that Lambeau has been sold out every game since 1960. So, that's pretty good.
Idiot Fan
June 24, 2015 at 09:25 pm
Exactly right. It's easy to be loyal when you have almost 25 straight years of above-average to excellent teams and future HOF QBs.
I was of the opinion that the Packers easily had the best fans......until 2008.
Tundraboy
June 24, 2015 at 05:55 pm
True packer fans are loyal, win or lose. I know we here are.
Ibleedgreenmore
June 24, 2015 at 07:34 pm
Well since the late 50s that is me and call it what it is never left them and never will.
TKWorldWide
June 24, 2015 at 08:56 pm
Remember, "we talkin' about practice".
----Allen Iverson
cuphound
June 24, 2015 at 09:03 pm
I gotta say Cubs fans impress me. When their team last won a championship, there was an Ottoman Empire and Sultan Abdul-Hamid II was on its throne. Teddy Roosevelt was president, when the Cubs last won a championship. All of Soviet history came and went without the Cubs winning a championship. That's loyalty.
Since'61
June 25, 2015 at 07:29 am
Speaking as a long time, long distance Packers fan I think the Packers fans are the mot loyal in the NFL. In MLB I would say that it is between the Cubs and the Red Sox. The Packers have about 4.5 - 5.0 millions fans nationwide. Many of them like myself and Jersey Al made it through the 70s and 80s after enjoying the Lombardi years. Growing up in NYC I had plenty of chances to switch teams, especially to the local NY Giants in the 80s. However, I held out through the Dolphin, Steeler, Cowboy and Raiders bandwagons of the 70s and 49er bandwagon of the 80s, not to mention the local Jets and Giants. Like Jersey Al my only Packers life line in those days was The Packer Report which used to arrive via U.S. mail about 9-10 days after the last Sunday game. Fans who are down on Favre may not realize this but nationwide Packers fans increased significantly during his career with the Packers. Based on some of the work I was doing for the NFL back then Favre not only brought the Packers back to NFL prominence he increased their following by at least 1 million fans. The Rodgers era has brought about another spike in nationwide following but not as significant as Favre at least not yet. How well, these new fans will hold out during a less successful era remains to be seen but I have met Packers fans in Brazil. Chile, Australia, Poland, UK and Italy. Of course we have our own CroatPackFan here on the blog, so the appeal of the Packers continues to grow. Also, I'm not sure how many fans would continually support the team through stock purchases and other donations the way we do as Packers fans. Especially for no return on the stock, it's truly remarkable among professional sports franchises and part of the Packers appeal. In any event, I'm a lifer. Go Pack Go! Thanks, Since '61
Tundraboy
June 25, 2015 at 08:22 am
I share your timeframe and similar location, Packer Report and checking to see if my local TV affiliate would actually air a game. sometimes even being bumped to air another game. Through it all I only grew more loyal. Here's to 2015!
jeremyjjbrown
June 25, 2015 at 06:00 pm
I was very displeased with Favre for quite some time and still am in some ways. However, when I wiegh the good and the bad the good wins out. Some Packers fans weren't around when the Packers where the butt of many jokes. Favre played a huge role in removing that stigma, and placing the Packers as a model franchise not just in the NFL but all of sports. Even his bad exit provided motivation to Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy. Like him or not Favre's place in Packers lore is significant.
Victoria LeJeune
June 25, 2015 at 10:00 am
I believe the Packer fans are the MOST, AND the most LOYAL in the NFL. Packer fans are world wide, and are very loved by so many, every where. Just on one site I am on, there are close to 5 million, and that is just ONE. That doesn't even touch those who are not on social media. I am sure there are those "band wagon" fans, but for the most part, the Green Bay Packer fans ARE loyal, to the FANatical point....lol.... How many OTHER teams can boast a sell out crowd of over 70,000 JUST for a practice?? We are the MOST fans, the most LOYAL fans, and the BEST fans of the BEST team in the NFL!! #WorldPackersNation #GoPAckGo!!!
Bearmeat
June 28, 2015 at 02:25 pm
....wondering to self whether the down votes are from the innocuous post, or the stars and bars flag for your avatar...
benrules100
June 25, 2015 at 01:08 pm
Packer fans Yes they are the most loyal they never ditch their team even in bad times.
benrules100
June 25, 2015 at 01:08 pm
Packer fans Yes they are the most loyal they never ditch their team even in bad times.
benrules100
June 25, 2015 at 01:08 pm
Packer fans Yes they are the most loyal they never ditch their team even in bad times.
SteveCheez
June 25, 2015 at 05:48 pm
I wonder if Packer fans rae the most loyal, and if they ever ditch their team even in bad times?
Sorry, ben, couldn't help myself!