Theme guide
Sports in Wisconsin
A small state with an outsized sporting identity: a publicly owned football team, two major-league clubs, and college hockey and football that are treated as seriously as either.
The Packers, and why they matter
The Green Bay Packers are the only non-profit, community-owned major professional sports franchise in the United States. More than half a million people hold shares; none may own more than a small fraction, and no shares can be resold or traded. The structure exists because the team sold stock to local businesses in 1923 to stay solvent, and it has kept a city of 107,000 in the biggest league in the country ever since.
The consequence for a visitor is that the stadium feels like civic property. Titletown, the district built around it, is a public park for most of the year.
Gameday logistics
- Tickets come from season-ticket holders; resale is the main route, and prices peak against divisional rivals and in the playoffs. Buy early.
- Tailgating starts four hours before kickoff and is a spectacle in itself — grills, flags, RVs and a lot of bratwurst. You do not need to be going to the game to walk through it.
- Traffic is severe in the last 90 minutes. Park a 20-minute walk away, or arrive early and stay late.
- Weather is part of the experience. Late-season games can be well below freezing; bring a seat cushion and dress in layers.
- Stadium tours run year-round and are the best option if you are visiting outside the season.
Outside the season
A stadium tour plus the Packers Hall of Fame covers most of what a visitor wants, and Titletown has a sledding hill in winter and a public green in summer. See the Green Bay guide.
Milwaukee: Brewers and Bucks
Brewers baseball
A retractable-roof ballpark on the west side of the city, which means games are never rained off. The roof opens on fine days. The atmosphere is famously relaxed: tailgating in the car parks before the game is a Milwaukee institution and, unlike some cities, you are genuinely welcome to join in.
The season runs April to September, with the best weather in June and September. Tickets are easy to get except against the Chicago clubs, when the visiting support takes over the stadium.
Bucks basketball
Downtown, in an arena that anchored a large redevelopment of the surrounding blocks. October to April, with a strong recent run of contention. Tickets are more expensive than baseball and harder to get for weekend games.
College sports
Badgers football in Madison
A 76,000-seat stadium on the isthmus, which on a home Saturday becomes the state's fourth-largest population centre. The pre-game tradition around the stadium is as much the point as the game: the Union Terrace, the bars on Regent Street, and the crowd singing along to "Jump Around" between the third and fourth quarters.
Practical: hotel rates double, roads close, and parking near the stadium is permit-only. If you are visiting from out of town, book accommodation months ahead.
College hockey
Wisconsin takes hockey seriously, particularly in Madison and at a cluster of smaller universities. Games run October to March, tickets are cheaper and easier than football, and the atmosphere in a full arena is arguably the best sporting experience in the state.
Other college sports worth a look
- Volleyball — Wisconsin's programme has been among the best in the country and the arena atmosphere is excellent.
- Wrestling and track — cheap, fast, and genuinely accessible.
- UW–La Crosse and UW–Eau Claire — strong small-college programmes in a very good setting.
Rough sporting calendar
| Sport | Runs | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | April–September | Milwaukee |
| Football (NFL) | September–January | Green Bay |
| College football | Late August–November | Madison and statewide |
| Basketball | October–April | Milwaukee, Madison |
| Ice hockey | October–March | Madison and college towns |
| Golf and motorsport | May–September | Statewide |
Planning a sports trip
- Build the trip around one game and add a day either side for the city. Two games in one weekend is possible in Milwaukee (baseball and basketball in overlapping seasons), but not in Green Bay.
- Book accommodation before tickets. Tickets can usually be found; hotel rooms on a football weekend cannot.
- Stadium tours are the fallback. All the major venues run them and they are genuinely interesting even for non-fans.
- College towns are cheaper and more atmospheric. A Badgers game costs less than an NFL game and the surrounding city is a better place to spend the weekend.
For the campus side, see Universities. For the cities, Green Bay and Milwaukee.
In pictures
Ice, hardwood and tailgates
The campus is the attraction
Behind every college gameday is a campus worth walking. The universities guide covers tours, museums and what is open to the public.