Lambeau's Ticket Problem.

Death. Taxes. Lambeau Field Sellouts. That's how my life has been since I can remember. I still can hear my mom saying 'I always regret not getting Milwaukee tickets in the 80's with your uncle.' I believe she has probably utter that sentence at least once a year. It is usually pretty hard to get Packer tickets and until 2010, I had not been to a game since 2005. Opportunities do not come very often to make a trip to hallow grounds of Lambeau Field. Thankfully in the past couple of years, I have been to Lambeau Field five times in the last three years.

Very happy to be there. Seth angry at the camera
Still think this foiled Mitch's plan to kill me. 

For the last three Decembers, it has become an annual tradition to go see a game at Lambeau Field. We started it three years ago when a group of about 10 of us got tickets to the game and planned to spend a night in DePere creating havoc at St. Norbert's adult establishments. It is something that has become tradition among a group of friends. We had our recent trip in late December as Green Bay took on Pittsburgh. I hope this something we continue for years to come. The other two times I lucked into going last second with family and friends without having to pay which is something I am very thankful and do not take for granted for one second.

The reason I do not overlook that last point is it costs anywhere from 75 to 300 dollars for tickets to see Green Bay play football at Lambeau Field. Tickets are not cheap so when I heard Packers were having trouble selling out their stadium for seemingly the first time ever in my 25-year old life. I thought of a variety of reasons why, it is going to be arctic temperatures plus the home experience equals the worst combination ever, the exhaustion of the season, pessimism from fans and why this could become a badge of honor type game to be at like the Ice Bowl and 2008 NFC Championship Game. And for the final reason, you should go if you have the means and if you have not made it up/down this season to Lambeau.

NFL does have a going problem with HD televisions, prices of tickets, beer, food and parking as well as the experience with social media, fantasy football (Regular season) and gambling. There might need to be a discussion whether they should think about axing the blackout rule. Federal Communications Commission gave some thoughts about this, and honestly, it is not the end of the world if NFL stadiums do not have full stands. If the FCC and NFL come to a deal where 75 percent of tickets have to be sold to avoid blackouts, that's a fair compromise, or keep the blackout rule but create dynamic ticket pricing figuring in weather, opponent, etc. Would people be heading to Lambeau this weekend if the most expensive tickets were 120 dollars versus 300 apiece? I think so.

The temperatures obviously do not help things either. They are not getting any warmer as it went from being around eight degrees around kickoff at the start of the weak to a high of -5 with wind chills of -30 and if this holds, it would be the third coldest game in NFL history. People could chose their own beer, own couch and warm house/bar to watch the game versus being in the elements looking like Ralphie's brother in the Christmas Story.

The second and third one go hand-in-hand a bit. This season has not been for the weak of heart. Many games have came down to the wire. Green Bay has been blown out in more games than usual. I expressed some thoughts of exhaustion after watching them lose in person to Pittsburgh. Granted this was an overreaction, I said after the game to friends, 'Hell, I hope Chicago just wins tonight, put me out of my misery.' Obviously, this is an overreaction and something I am glad they did not do because we would not be having this conversation. But they are facing a team that has 12 wins on the year, a team Green Bay has not beat the last three times they have played in last two years, the defending NFC champions meaning many people in the state of Wisconsin do not think Green Bay will win this game.

Packers fans can be very pessimistic in nature. They are also a bit privileged in terms of seeing successful teams and not really seeing much losing at home. In the last decade, they have lost five of their seven home playoff games. Let me tell you after freezing your ass off, the last thing you want to see is a defeat. This is arguably the best playoff team to come to Lambeau in the last 10 years even if New York Giants teams won the Super Bowl. Without question, there are many people who believe Green Bay is losing this football game meaning they do not want to be there on Sunday for the game (I do not but we will talk about it tomorrow).

If I did not spend more than 100 dollars to see Green Bay play a couple weeks ago along with spending all sorts of money on a four-day venture with New Year's Day, I would be putting out feelers to go to the game. I had two friends offer me tickets to the game which is unheard of to me, but honestly, I cannot afford right now being a part-time worker whom had his biggest spending month of the year. So here's my suggestion: If you have not gone this year, go to the game and spend the money. If you have never gone, this is your perfect chance to see Green Bay play in a playoff game. Load up on layers and alcohol if you have a driver, but go see the home team play because it will become a badge of honor no matter what happens in the game.

People always get to talk about being at the Ice Bowl, and there are many people who lie about being at the Ice Bowl. The same would have happened if Green Bay wins the 2008 NFC Championship and Brett Favre goes on to win the Super Bowl. It would be the same sort of attitude with this generation. Who knows what will happen this year, and trust me if Green Bay wins in some dramatic fashion, many people will act like the were at Lambeau on Sunday. 3,000 tickets are needed to be sold before tomorrow's game. I would be stunned if the game is blacked out in the area, but it would be a mass media/fans freakout. Remember about how chances to go to games do not happen often and who knows when this door is open again.

Charlie.