The Green Bay Packers have announced that the glorified practice that they charge people money to attend — Family Night — will be August 2, this year. What’s more interesting is they’ve decided to ditch the traditional scrimmage.
Packers Family Night will now be a regular practice — full pads, 11 on 11. You’ll still have to pay $10 to attend though.
So what’s the difference between this practice and a regular practice? Well, you get to pay to watch it, and it’s in Lambeau Field. Oh, and fireworks! Those will totally be worth your $10, even though you could sit in the Lambeau Field parking lot and see them just the same.
“As the team has continually assessed its preparation methods in recent years, it was determined a full practice is necessary to accomplish its preparation goals for the regular season,” the team said in a statement.
“The full practice will include 11-on-11 sessions that will feature live contact.”
Notice that says live contact and not tackling. What a bunch of PR hackery.
“Accomplish its preparation goals for the regular season.” Riiiiiiiiiight.
What the Packers want to do is make sure no one suffers a season-ending injury. During last year’s Family Night scrimmage, tackle Bryan Bulaga tore his ACL and was lost for the season.
Wes Hodkiewicz was quick to note this.
After Bryan Bulaga tore his left ACL at the 2013 event, #Packers are changing this year's "Family Night" from a scrimmage to a practice
— Wes Hodkiewicz (@WesHod) June 5, 2014
So why not call the thing off altogether and just have a regular practice where people aren’t charged to attend? Why, money of course!
Now, the Packers give the money from ticket sales to charity and that’s a nice write off for the organization. But you’re there in Lambeau, you might as well buy some beers and brats and stop in the Pro Shop and buy a new Packers shirt. Are the Packers giving all THAT money charity?
We highly fucking doubt it.
Gotta keep that bottom line looking robust, so all of us stockholders remain happy! Oh, wait, we don’t actually get anything other than a worthless piece of paper for being stockholders…