The Green Bay Packers today reminded fans coming to Monday night's Packers-Vikings game to allow for extra time to enter Lambeau Field to accommodate the NFL-mandated enhanced screening in place.
"We appreciate our fans' efforts to make their way to the stadium gates earlier than in the past," said Doug Collins, Packers director of security/risk management. "However, we see a fair amount of turnover of fans from game to game, so we want to continue to remind everyone coming to take the extra time, especially those coming to their first game this season."
The Packers and Green Bay Police Department will continue to use hand-held metal-detecting wands to conduct the enhanced screening.
Stadium gates open two hours prior to kickoff (5:30 p.m. this Monday). To expedite the screening process, fans are encouraged to:
· Enter the stadium earlier than they have in the past,
· Use the stadium gate indicated on their ticket,
· Bring no or a minimal amount of items into the stadium (small purses, etc.) to minimize wait time, and
· Move items such as a cell phone or keys from your pocket to your hand before you are screened.
Some of the prohibited items that often are brought to stadium gates, only to get returned to cars or discarded altogether, include large bags, umbrellas, backpacks and stadium seats with armrests. Fans are reminded not to bring such items to the gates.
Weapons remain prohibited under Wisconsin's concealed carry law:In maintaining its no weapons policy, the Packers continue to prohibit carrying firearms or other weapons inside Lambeau Field. Additionally, fans will not be permitted to carry firearms or other weapons in the parking lot. People with proper permits may leave firearms locked in their vehicle. Weapons cannot be carried on a person.
Secondary ticket market warning:The Packers and the Green Bay Police Department also reminded fans to be vigilant when purchasing tickets from secondary and unofficial ticket sources. Tickets purchased from secondary sources often can be fraudulent or counterfeit tickets. Counterfeit tickets often look real enough that fans don't find the ticket has been duplicated or is counterfeit until trying to enter the stadium.
The Packers recommend fans utilize team partners Ticketmaster and Packer Fan Tours for purchasing tickets or ticket packages. Other ticket sources, according to the Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection, should be members of the National Association of Ticket Brokers, as these businesses carefully screen ticket offers and take other measures to protect consumers from ticket fraud.
Further information is available at www.packers.com/gameday/gameday-information.html.
