Once a Fan, Always a Fan

I haven’t lived in Wisconsin for nearly 50 years but remain an avid (some would say rabid!) fan of the Green Bay Packers.  I have moved many times since those days and have lived in much bigger cities with great sports traditions, but my love for and dedication to the Packers is as strong as ever.  This season has been full of ups and downs (all exacerbated by this past weekend’s dispiriting loss to the Broncos) and it has me reflecting on what makes those bonds so unshakeable.  

Sports fandom has a curious resistance to logic. It survives moves across state lines, career changes, marriages, and decades of distance. Geography may explain how a fandom begins, but it rarely explains how it endures.

For many fans, allegiance is forged early.  In my case, my devotion to the Packers was cemented as an impressionable teenager watching the Packers win the first two Super Bowls with my father and grandfather. (That was back in 1967 and 1968 for those of you interested in the mathematics of family chronologies). I grew up in the nearby small town of New London (population ~5,800 back then) and, like most people in the state, followed the exploits of “the Pack” closely.  Even though I have long since lost my claim to Cheesehead status by virtue of residence, the games feel oddly personal to me; I feel proud when they win and crushed when they lose.  I think my bond is more about identity than place, as the Packers have become a constant in a life defined by change. In that sense, my fandom was not weakened by separation; it has been repeatedly tested and reaffirmed.

Teams like my Green Bay Packers make this phenomenon even more relatable.  Established in 1919, they are the third-oldest franchise in the NFL and are the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sport team in the United States.  The Packers are the last of the “small-town teams” common in the NFL’s early days.  Since 1957, the Packers have played their home games at Lambeau Field, named in honor of Packers founder, player, and long-time head coach Earl “Curly” Lambeau.  With a capacity of 81,000, it is the second-largest stadium in the NFL and a sports mecca for football fans.  If you haven’t visited, add this to your bucket list.  I often liken its intimacy to that of Fenway Park; when you’re in the stands, it feels as though you can reach out and touch the players!  

For me, enduring Packers fandom is less about where I live than about who I was when the allegiance took hold. Long after my location has changed, my loyalty remains, immune to reason - and all the stronger for it.

Although the Howe Team will likely slow down a bit over the coming weeks, we’re still around and available to help with your financial concerns as the year comes to a close.  You can contact us at thehoweteam@uswealthhowe.com. Happy holidays to all and may your favorite teams be perennial contenders!