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Lambeau Field () is an outdoor athletic stadium in the north central United States, located in
Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the head of Green Bay (Lake Michigan), Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the F ...
. The home field of the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL), it opened in
1957 Events January * January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany. * January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch. * January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...
as City Stadium, replacing the original City Stadium at Green Bay East High School as the Packers' home field. Informally known as New City Stadium for its first eight seasons, it was renamed in August 1965 in memory of Packers founder, player, and long-time head coach, Earl "Curly" Lambeau, who had died two months earlier. With a seating capacity of 81,441, Lambeau Field is the second-largest stadium in the NFL. It is now the largest venue in the State of Wisconsin, edging out Camp Randall Stadium (75,822) at the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...
in Madison. The playing field at the stadium has a conventional north–south alignment, at an elevation of above sea level. Lambeau Field is the oldest continually operating NFL stadium. In
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
, the Packers completed their 51st season at Lambeau, breaking the all-time NFL record set by the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
at
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a ballpark on the North Side, Chicago, North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charl ...
(
1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...
70). While
Soldier Field Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side, Chicago, Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears from the National ...
in Chicago is older, the Bears did not play their home games there until
1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
and the team did not play there during stadium renovations in 2002. Only the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
at
Fenway Park Fenway Park is a ballpark located in Boston, Massachusetts, less than one mile from Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home field of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Boston Red Sox. While the stadium was built in 1912, it was substantia ...
and the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
at
Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a ballpark on the North Side, Chicago, North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charl ...
have longer active home-field tenures in American professional sports. The stadium's street address has been 1265 Lombardi Avenue since August 1968, when Highland Avenue was renamed in honor of former head coach Vince Lombardi, namesake of the Super Bowl championship trophy. Lambeau sits on a block east of Titletown District, a
mixed-use development Mixed use is a type of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning classification that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions ...
with a Destination Kohler luxury hotel, restaurants, a brewery, apartments, offices, and other entertainment. The stadium and Titletown hosted the 2025 NFL draft.


History


Packers seek a modern facility

Since 1925, the Packers had played at 25,000-seat City Stadium, located behind Green Bay East High School. However, by the 1950s, it was considered inadequate for the times. It was built almost entirely of wood, and East High's locker room facilities were considered inadequate even in the 1920s; visiting teams often dressed before the game at the Hotel Northland, where the Packers' opponents stayed at the time. The stadium could not be expanded. East High's location ruled out any expansion to the south, and it could not be expanded to the north or east due to its location along the
East River The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...
. Officials in
Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, to the south, where the Packers had played a part of their schedule since
1933 Events January * January 11 – Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independen ...
, knew that City Stadium was less than ideal as an NFL venue. They built
Milwaukee County Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Opened in 1953 Milwaukee Braves season, 1953, it was primarily a baseball park for Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Braves and later the Milwaukee Brewers. It was also ...
in 1953 in hopes of luring the Packers there full-time. As originally built, County Stadium was double the size of City Stadium. Soon after County Stadium opened, the other NFL owners threatened to force the Packers to move to Milwaukee unless they built a new stadium. In August 1955, the Packers announced plans for a new stadium in Green Bay, with a seating capacity of 32,000. In April 1956, Green Bay voters responded by approving (70.3%) a bond issue to finance the new stadium. The original cost in 1957 was $960,000 (paid off in 1978), and its
seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
was 32,500. The new stadium was the first modern stadium built specifically for an NFL franchise. At the time, the eleven other NFL teams were playing either in facilities shared with
major league baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
teams or in other pre-existing shared facilities. The site, now bordered on three sides by the village of Ashwaubenon, was selected because it had a natural slope, ideal for creating the bowl shape, along with expansive parking. The nearby outdoor practice fields ( Clarke Hinkle Field and Ray Nitschke Field) and Don Hutson Center are in Ashwaubenon, as was the Packers Hall of Fame until 2003. The land had once been farmland belonging to Jacques Vieau. The new stadium, originally known as "(New) City Stadium", was officially opened in week one of the 1957 season on September 29, as the Packers upset the rival Bears 21–17 in front of a capacity crowd of 32,132. In a ceremony at halftime, the stadium was dedicated by Vice President
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
. Also in attendance on the platform were reigning
Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 18 and 28. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is judged on competition segments with scoring percentages: ''Priva ...
Marilyn Van Derbur, NFL commissioner
Bert Bell De Benneville "Bert" Bell (February 25, 1895 – October 11, 1959) was an American professional football executive and coach. He was the fifth chief executive and second commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 until his deat ...
, and Bears' owner George Halas, on a brief leave from coaching. Although they now have a modern facility in Green Bay, the Packers continued to play two or three regular-season games in Milwaukee at County Stadium. Starting in
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
, expansions to Lambeau Field (see below) made it financially realistic for the Packers to play their entire regular season in Green Bay for the first time in over 60 years. Former Milwaukee ticket holders receive tickets to a
preseason In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of S ...
game and games 2 and 5 of the regular season home schedule, in what is referred to as the "Gold package". Green Bay season ticket holders receive tickets to the remaining home games as part of their "Green package".


Expansion, 1961–95

Demand for tickets at the new stadium easily outstripped supply, not coincidentally after the arrival of coach Vince Lombardi in
1959 Events January * January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...
. In 1961, four years after it opened, the stadium's capacity was increased to 38,669. Since then, the Packers have been regularly increasing the seating capacity. The bowl was increased to 42,327 in
1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...
, to about 50,837 in
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...
with the enclosure of the south end zone, and to 56,263 in
1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...
, when the north end zone was enclosed to form a continuous oval bowl. In the early 1980s, the team considered placing a dome on the stadium. Construction of 72 private boxes in
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
increased the seating capacity to 56,926, and a 1990 addition of 36 additional boxes and 1,920 theatre-style club seats brought the number to 59,543. In
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
, a $4.7 million project put 90 more private boxes in the previously open north end zone, again giving the stadium the feel of a complete bowl and increasing capacity to 60,890.


Renovation, 2001–03

By the end of 1999, the Packers believed that they needed to update the facility to remain financially competitive in the NFL. Rather than build a new stadium, Chairman/CEO Bob Harlan and President/COO John Jones unveiled a $295 million plan to renovate Lambeau Field in January 2000. It was to be paid for partly by the team via the 1997–98 stock sale, which netted more than $20 million. Most of the proceeds were to be paid through a 0.5% sales tax in Brown County and personal seat license fees on season ticket holders. After their plan won approval by the Wisconsin State Legislature, it was ratified by Brown County voters on September 12, 2000, by a 53%–47% margin. Construction began early in 2001. The sales tax expired on September 30, 2015. The massive redevelopment plan was designed to update the facilities, add more premium and suite seating, yet preserve the seating bowl, keeping the storied natural grass playing field of the "frozen tundra". The project was completed in time for the 2003 season, bringing the capacity to 72,515. Construction management was conducted by Turner Construction Sports, and proved to be of remarkably little disruption to the
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
and 2002 seasons. Although the capacity has more than doubled since Lambeau Field was opened, demand for tickets remains high. The Packers have sold out every game since 1960, and at least 150,000 names are on the waiting list. Between 40 and 500 names come off the list each year. Because of the sell-out streak, the Packers have not had a home game blacked out since a 1983 Wild Card Playoff game against the Cardinals. During the season, Lambeau Field was voted the number one NFL stadium in game-day atmosphere and fan experience by a ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' online poll. In 2009, The Sports Turf Managers Association named Lambeau Field the 2009 Field of the Year.


South end zone expansion, 2012–13

In 2010, plans were announced by the Green Bay Packers to install new high definition scoreboards in place of their current scoreboards; plans for a new sound system were announced as well. Later, the plans were expanded to include adding as many as 7,500 seats both inside and outside as well as viewing platforms and lounge areas. On May 5, 2011, the Packers sent out an online survey to 30,000 season-ticket holders, club-seat holders and individuals on the season-ticket waiting list to get feedback from the fans on several concepts being considered for the south end-zone development. On August 25, 2011, plans were officially announced to add 7,500 new seats to the south end zone. The new seats are outdoors with the exception of one indoor row. The seats include heated areas that melt snow as it falls (a concept tested on a small scale during winter 2010), intending to solve the logistical problem of shoveling snow from an "upper deck" seating area. The snow that falls into the original bowl area is shoveled by compensated volunteers from the community using a system of temporary chutes placed in the aisles and carts to remove the snow from the stadium. The new sound system was completed in time for the 2011 season. On August 25, 2011, Packers president Mark Murphy announced that the expansion of Lambeau would not be paid for by taxpayers but by the team itself. After construction was completed on the south end zone seating in the summer of 2013, Lambeau became the third-largest stadium in the NFL, with a capacity of 80,750. Additional construction included two new tower gates for the north and south end zone. Lambeau Field also installed
Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group traces its origins to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company that existed from 1870 to 194 ...
Diamond Vision Video Boards, as well as a rooftop viewing terrace in the north end zone for club seat holders during games. The rooftop viewing terrace and video boards were completed in time for the 2012 season. On December 12, 2012, Lambeau Field was damaged by a minor fire when construction workers were cutting a metal beam near the fourth floor. The sparks from the cutting landed inside a wall and ignited the foam insulation. The area was temporarily evacuated and a minor back injury to one of the responding firefighters was reported. Green Bay Fire Lt. Nick Craig says the fire was small but in an unwieldy area. He says fire officials had to proceed slowly because they didn't want to open the wall and allow the flames an oxygen supply until they had enough water on hand. The fire damage cost $5,000 in repairs.


Atrium Renovation, 2013–15

In 2013, the Packers announced a new $140.5 million renovation project for the Lambeau Atrium entrance, entirely paid by the Packers without public funding. The project began in March 2013 and was completed in June 2015. The Packers removed ground between Bob Harlan Plaza and Lombardi Avenue, which is now the basement of the atrium. The Pro Shop has been moved to the new ground level, and a set of escalators were installed on the western side, leading to the atrium and the entrance of the Miller Gate. The Packers Hall of Fame moved to the second floor of the atrium where Curly's Pub was originally located. Curly's moved to the main floor where the Pro Shop was previously held and was renamed 1919 Kitchen & Tap. This renovation project was referred to as "Phase II", with the first phase considered as the 7,500 seats that were installed previously. The new setup was made to be easier for fans as it was difficult for fans in the past. Phase II also included the following: *The Oneida Nation gate was given an expanded plaza extending into the east parking lot. A tunnel under the plaza leads to a player parking area immediately east of the player facilities. Permanent restrooms were installed under the plaza. *A new entrance called the American Family Insurance gate was added at parking lot level on the east side, with an escalator providing access to the main floor of the atrium. The Pro Shop is also accessible here. *Harlan Plaza in front of the Miller Gate facing Lombardi Avenue will remain, but its front now lines up with the North face of the atrium tower where the Pro Shop is situated. The Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi statues were repositioned and remain in the plaza. *New player facilities in the lower level of the stadium, including strength and conditioning rooms and a 35-by-50-yard practice walk-through area. At the time of the proposed renovation, the project was expected to create approximately 1,500 jobs and pay more than $60 million in wages. Team president and CEO Mark Murphy also committed at the time that 95% of spending on the project would be done in Wisconsin and 69% in northeastern Wisconsin. A 50-foot-tall replica Lombardi Trophy was unveiled on November 14, 2014, on the east side of the stadium. The stadium's
floodlight A floodlight is a broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial light. It can provide functional area lighting for travel-ways, parking, entrances, work areas, and sporting venues to enable visibility adequate for safe task performance, ornament ...
ing system was upgraded to a new instant on-off LED system in May 2018, with the stadium's LCD play clocks and east/west scoreboards also being converted to LED-lighted systems. In the last game of the 2019 preseason, the Packers added a flashing stadium light celebration for each Packers touchdown as part of the upgrade, to some traditionalist fan criticism (a foghorn addition earlier in the preseason had been criticized for its resemblance to the Vikings' " Gjallarhorn", and was removed for the other preseason home game); it was retained for regular season games.


Lambeau Field Atrium

The Lambeau Field Atrium houses the Green Bay Packers Pro Shop, the Packers Hall of Fame, Lambeau Field Stadium Tours, and the 1919 Kitchen & Tap. It also hosts special events, such as meetings, weddings, receptions, and social gatherings.


Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame is on the first level of the Atrium. The Hall of Fame is an independent, charitable association that promotes the history of the Green Bay Packers. Since 1970, 170 Packers have been inducted into the Hall, which attracts over 170,000 visitors annually.


Titletown District

On August 20, 2015, the Green Bay Packers presented the master plan for the Titletown District, an area that will be constructed on approximately of land just west of Lambeau Field. Titletown will consist of three tenants including Lodge Kohler, a hotel built and managed by the
Kohler Company Kohler Co., is an American manufacturing company founded in 1873 by John Michael Kohler, based in Kohler, Wisconsin. Kohler is best known for its plumbing products, but the company also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and El ...
; a Bellin Health Sports Medicine Clinic; and Hinterland Restaurant and Brewery. Development on the remaining calls for commercial, retail, and residential elements. The Titletown District was opened in 2017."Titletown District"
. Packers.com. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
The site hosted the 2025 NFL draft.


Packers home record at Lambeau

As of the end of the 2024 season, the Packers have compiled a 264–133–6 regular-season mark at Lambeau Field. The Packers playoff record at home as of the 2024 season is 18–7. The
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
(0–5) are the only NFL team that has never won a regular-season game at Lambeau Field as of 2024. No team has an undefeated record at Lambeau Field. The last remaining team with an undefeated record, the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
, were beaten by the Packers in Week 13 of the 2016 NFL season.


Name and nickname


New City Stadium

The original name of Lambeau Field lasted through the 1964 season. Officially "City Stadium", the name "New City Stadium" was used informally to distinguish it from its predecessor at East High School.


Lambeau Field

Two months after the death of Packers founder Curly Lambeau, New City Stadium was renamed "Lambeau Field" by the Green Bay city council on August 3,
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...
. Besides founding the team in 1919, Lambeau played for the Packers in their early years and was the team's coach for 31 seasons through
1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025 * January 2 – Luis ...
. He shares the distinction with rival coach George Halas of the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
and Bill Belichick of the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
of coaching his team to the most NFL championships, with six. Lambeau was inducted as a charter member of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
in Canton, Ohio in 1963.


Corporate naming rights

On November 7, 2000, two months after Brown County voters approved a sales tax to fund Lambeau Field's renovation, a second referendum was presented to the same Brown County voters. This referendum asked whether naming rights to the renovated stadium should be sold in order to retire earlier the 0.5% sales tax created to cover construction costs. The referendum passed 53%-47%, the exact percentage by which voters approved the sales tax. After the vote passed, the Packers entered talks with the city of Green Bay, which owns the stadium, to further explore the options. The city and team agreed to sell the rights if a price of $100 million could be realized, although no buyer has been found. The Packers, although agreeing to be bound by the will of the voters, have consistently stressed that they would prefer Lambeau Field keep its traditional name, honoring the club's founder. The Packers have sold naming rights to the eight entrance gates. From the north going clockwise, they are: Bellin Health (north gate), Miller Brewing (atrium gate), American Family Insurance (northeast gate at parking lot level), the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin (east gate on elevated plaza facing Oneida Street), Fleet Farm stores (southwest gate), Associated Bank (west gate and private box entrance), and Kwik Trip (northwest gate).
Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...
was the previous sponsor of the northwest gate (2003–2017). Miller Brewing is also a sponsor of the atrium and has a section in one end zone called the "Miller Lite End Zone", giving away tickets in that area with various beer promotions. Shopko was the former sponsor of the south gate until its bankruptcy and liquidation in June 2019, and that gate is currently unbranded. At the 2015 Packers shareholders meeting President Mark Murphy said "We will not sell the naming rights to the stadium. ... We will never do that. It will always be Lambeau Field".


"The Frozen Tundra"

The stadium's nickname was spawned by the Ice Bowl game between the Packers and the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, played on December 31, 1967. The game was played in temperatures of with sharp winds. Journalist Tex Maule associated Lambeau Field with the term ''
tundra In physical geography, a tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: #Arctic, Arctic, Alpine tundra, Alpine, and #Antarctic ...
'' in his article summarizing the game in ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
''. The nickname "the frozen tundra" is believed to originate from ''The Greatest Challenge'', the Packers' authorized version of the highlight film written by Steve Sabol.Davis, 2008, p. 159. In the Cowboys' authorized version of the highlight film, ''A Chilling Championship'', also written by Sabol, Bill Woodson used the term "the frozen tundra" when narrating the film to describe Lambeau Field. Prior to the 1967 season, an underground electric heating system had been installed, but it was not able to counter the effects of the cold front that hit Green Bay at the onset of the Ice Bowl game. The field had been covered overnight with the heater on, but when the cover was removed in the sub-zero cold, the moisture atop the grass flash-froze. The underground heating and drainage system was redone in
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
, with a system of pipes filled with a solution including antifreeze replacing the electric coils. After the 2006 season, the surface, heating, and drainage system was replaced. From 2007 until 2018, the playing surface used the Desso GrassMaster system, which has synthetic fibers woven into the traditional Kentucky bluegrass sod. In 2018, the Grassmaster surface was replaced with polyethylene-based SIS Grass. Even the new video boards, installed in
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, have been influenced by the field's nickname, being called "Tundra Vision". These video displays measure more than high by wide. An artificial lighting system, based on technology used in Dutch rose-growing greenhouses, was tested in
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
and purchased for use in the 2011 season. It operates 24 hours a day from October to early December to extend the growing season for the field's grass. The system is also used in some soccer stadiums where shade from stands and partial roofs are a problem for the turf, not the cold and short growing season found in Green Bay.


Titletown, USA

More famously a nickname for the city than its football field, "Titletown, USA" became popularized in 1961, even before Vince Lombardi won any of his championships. At the 1961 NFL Championship Game against the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
, which the Packers won 37–0, fans hung up signs around the stadium that read ''Welcome to Titletown, USA''. Then-Giants quarterback Y. A. Tittle joked that the honor was for him, just that his name was misspelled. By the mid-60s, Titletown, USA was registered as a trademark of the Green Bay Packers, Inc. Lambeau Field has been home to seven NFL world championship seasons, five under Lombardi, one under
Mike Holmgren Michael George Holmgren (born June 15, 1948) is an American former American football, football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career as a quarterbacks' coach and later as an offensive coordinator wit ...
and one under
Mike McCarthy Michael John McCarthy (born November 10, 1963) is an American professional American football, football coach who most recently was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) from 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, 2020 t ...
, surpassing the six world championship seasons witnessed by its predecessor, City Stadium, under Curly Lambeau.


Postseason

Lambeau Field has frequently given a significant postseason
home-field advantage In team sports, the term home advantage – also called home ground, home field, home-field advantage, home court, home-court advantage, defender's advantage or home-ice advantage – describes the benefit that the home (sports), home team ...
for the Packers. Playoff games at Lambeau Field typically feature cold Wisconsin winters. The most famous example is the aforementioned Ice Bowl. More recently, in the 1996–97 NFL playoffs both the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
in the divisional playoffs and the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
in the
NFC Championship Game The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semifinal National Football League playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional Ame ...
struggled to adapt to the muddy and the cold conditions respectively. The temperatures during the
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
NFC Championship Game The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semifinal National Football League playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional Ame ...
(in which the Packers lost in OT, 23–20, to the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
) reached as low as , with a wind chill of . From its opening in
1957 Events January * January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany. * January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch. * January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...
until January 2003, when they fell 27–7 to the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
, the Packers had never lost a postseason game at Lambeau Field. However, the Packers hosted just one postseason game (in the ad hoc round-of-16 in the strike-shortened 1982 season) during a lean stretch of 27 years between the Ice Bowl of
1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
and a wild-card game in December 1994. Although the Packers have won only six of their last ten playoff games at Lambeau Field, their overall home postseason record is an outstanding 17–5. The stadium has hosted six championship contests: three NFL title games in 1961,
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...
and
1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
(the "Ice Bowl") as well as three NFC championships after the 1996, 2007 and 2020 seasons.


Traditions


The Lambeau Leap

Many Packer players will jump into the end zone stands after scoring a touchdown, in a celebration affectionately known as the Lambeau Leap. The Lambeau Leap was spontaneously created in
1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...
by safety LeRoy Butler, who scored after a Reggie White fumble recovery and lateral against the L.A. Raiders on December 26. It was later popularized by wide receiver Robert Brooks. It's not known precisely when the celebration was first coined the "Lambeau Leap", but one of the first possible mentions was by broadcaster
Al Michaels Alan Richard Michaels (born November 12, 1944) is an American television play-by-play sportscaster for '' Thursday Night Football'' on Amazon Prime Video and in an emeritus role for NBC Sports. He has worked on network sports television sin ...
during a Monday night broadcast in September
1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
, "It's a new tradition in Green Bay, Robert Brooks ''leaping'' into the stands." When the NFL banned excessive celebrations in 2000, the Lambeau Leap was grandfathered into the new rules, permitting it to continue. Occasionally, a visiting player will attempt a Lambeau Leap, only to be denied by Packers fans. This happened to then-
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
Fred Smoot when he intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown; Packers fans proceeded to throw their beverages on Smoot. During the 2007 NFC Championship game,
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
Brandon Jacobs faked a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown, angering many Green Bay faithful in the stands. Before a game against the Packers on September 20, 2009,
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
wideout Chad Johnson, then known as Chad Ochocinco, announced he would do a Lambeau Leap if he scored a touchdown, and then followed through by leaping into the arms of pre-arranged fans wearing Bengals jerseys. In 2014, a statue was made outside of Lambeau Field commemorating the Leap. Featuring a shortened replica of the end zone wall and 4 random Packers fans, the statue allows visitors to pose for pictures doing their own Lambeau Leap. The
NFL Network NFL Network (occasionally abbreviated on-air as NFLN) is an American sports-oriented pay television network owned by the National Football League NTP and is part of NFL Media, which also includes NFL.com, NFL Films, NFL Mobile, NFL Now and N ...
countdown program, '' NFL Top 10'', named the Lambeau Leap the 3rd greatest touchdown celebration of all time.


Special events


Packers shareholders meeting

With the 1997–98 sale of stock in the Packers corporation, swelling the number of owners to over 112,000, a large venue was needed for the annual shareholders meeting. The event returned to Lambeau Field in 2006 after several thousand people were turned away from the 2005 meeting at the nearby Resch Center. Average attendance at shareholders meetings varies between 8,000 and 10,000. The
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
prevented the 2020 shareholders meeting from occurring as a large public gathering at Lambeau Field. For this reason, it was broadcast online in a virtual meeting format via live webcast. The pandemic also affected the 2021 meeting, resulting in only 3,900 owners attending in person.


High school and college football

When built, Lambeau Field was also slated to be used by schools of the Green Bay Area Public School District, as old City Stadium had been. However, a key
1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...
game between the Packers and
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
was affected when two high schools played in the rain the preceding Friday, damaging the field. After that, Lombardi asked the schools to avoid using Lambeau, though
Southwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...
and
West West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...
continued to play there until a west side high school stadium was built in the late 1970s. In 1973, the championship game for the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association (until 2000, the WIAA-equivalent organization for the state's private and religious high schools) was played at Lambeau. The last high school game played at Lambeau was a WIAA semifinal between Green Bay West and Waukesha North, with the latter team the victor and going on to Madison for the divisional championship game. In 1982 and 1983, St. Norbert College hosted
Fordham University Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
(Lombardi's alma mater) in two Division III tilts, benefitting the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The first was held on November 20, 1982, and the second was November 19, 1983. The first year, a 14-10 St. Norbert win, drew 5,119 people. The second year, a 18-9 St. Norbert win, drew 842 people. In 2016, Lambeau Field hosted its first major
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...
game when
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
played
LSU Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
in the 2nd of a two-game series which started in 2014 at another NFL venue –
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
's
NRG Stadium NRG Stadium (previously known as Reliant Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to h ...
. The Badgers won in what was called a "historic upset" by ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, as the unranked Badgers defeated the #5 ranked Tigers 16–14. '' ESPN College Gameday'' also visited Lambeau Field that day as a result, including Rodgers as a guest.


Hockey

Following the success of the "
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
", collegiate ice hockey game held in 2001 at Michigan State's Spartan Stadium, hockey teams from
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
and Ohio State met in the Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic, an outdoor game played on a temporary rink inside the stadium on February 11, 2006. The Badgers defeated the Buckeyes 4–2 before a capacity crowd of 40,890. There were some problems as the ice began to crack during play, but overall it was a success, ending with the Badgers doing the Lambeau Leap following their victory.


Snowmobile racing

In 2004 a snowmobile racing event was held in the parking lot due to a lack of snow. In 2005 the snowmobile racing event took place over the grass, with the right amount of snow cover.


Concerts

Due to the small size of the surrounding population, not many concerts are held at Lambeau Field because the primary use of the stadium is football. The Lambeau Field lease between the city of Green Bay and the Packers allows for one non-football event a month between February and June, with the Packers having veto power.


Other

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
was the first major entertainment event at the venue, performing in front of 18,000 on May 31, 1976.


Soccer


Fireworks

For many years, Lambeau hosted a popular annual
Fourth of July Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...
fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...
display, sponsored by locally based retailer Shopko Stores, Inc.


Seating capacity

Lambeau Field is the second largest stadium in the NFL by seating capacity.


Sustainability

The Green Bay Packers have made efforts to make Lambeau Field more environmentally sustainable, including the increased use of recycling bins, biodegradable food-ware, and LED lighting upgrades. More than 500 induction lighting fixtures have been installed, as well as 11 high-efficiency condensing boilers for space heating in the stadium, melting snow, and heating the field. Also, two high-efficiency electric chillers have been installed for the air-conditioned regions of Lambeau Field.


Footnotes


References


Sources


''When Pride Still Mattered, A Life of Vince Lombardi''
by David Maraniss, 1999, ()

*Davis, Jeff (2008), ''Rozelle: Czar of the NFL''. New York:McGraw-Hill. 0-07-159352-7 *Gruver, Edward (1998). ''The Ice Bowl:The Cold Truth About Football's Most Unforgettable Game''. Ithaca, New York:McBooks Press, Inc. *O'Brien, Michael (1987), ''Vince: A Personal Biography of Vince Lombardi''. New York:William Morrow and Company, Inc.


External links

* {{Green Bay Packers stadiums Sports venues completed in 1957 Green Bay Packers stadiums NFL venues College football venues in Wisconsin Music venues in Wisconsin Sports venues in Green Bay, Wisconsin Landmarks in Wisconsin Tourist attractions in Brown County, Wisconsin 1957 establishments in Wisconsin