I recently returned from a road trip in Wisconsin. The upper Midwest is not a common spring break destination, especially in early April. As the plane descended over Milwaukee, the brown, barren landscape suggested a step back into winter. The weather was too cold for the beaches, with snow and ice covering the Lake Michigan shore. However, the bars were welcoming. Wisconsin has the highest alcohol consumption per capita in the US. Many locals pointed out that they were responsible for the majority of brandy sales in the country. Besides discussing the best old fashioned recipes, the main topic was the upcoming NFL draft, which was still a month away. The expected influx of 250,000 people to Green Bay, the host city for the first time, was a major point of discussion. In a small town far from Green Bay, an elderly jewelry store owner mentioned the unpredictable weather but acknowledged it wouldn't deter the crowds coming for the "sports teams" event. The draft served as a distraction from concerns about the global markets. Local TV coverage suggested that the availability and cost of accommodations in Ashwaubenon were crucial to the US economy. Green Bay's marketing director received significant media attention. One Sunday morning, near the end of the trip, I visited Lambeau Field. Instead of taking the interstate, I drove along the suburban streets along the bay's eastern shore, passing the city's industrial plants. I planned to view the stadium from the outside. Tim, a former lighting worker at the stadium who now empties bins part-time, informed me that tours were available on Sundays and would begin shortly. He was one of many retirees I met with post-retirement jobs. At the ticket office, I booked the "Champions" tour and ended up with a private tour with two guides, Pat and Bob. Before heading to the field, they showed me the construction site beyond the parking lot, where workers were building a large metal structure. "That’s gonna be a huge main stage,” Bob said. Before 2014, the draft was held in hotel conference rooms and Radio City Music Hall in NYC. Now, it's a three-day outdoor festival with music and activities. Detroit hosted almost 800,000 attendees the previous year, who came to watch the draft announcements on big screens. The main draw is the atmosphere and the chance to be present when a team selects a player. Green Bay cannot host the Super Bowl due to the cold weather and limited hotel capacity. A photo at Lambeau Field shows fans at the "Ice Bowl" game, the coldest in NFL history, enduring -38C conditions. "So the draft is our Super Bowl," Bob explained. He was amazed by the prospect of numerous celebrities, team personnel, and media members arriving at the small airport in Appleton. "Someone told me they expect 90 planes. I mean, where will these people think they are, on the drive over?” My experience with sports drafts is limited to a small tournament called The Hundred. Its draft was reported from a nearly empty media center, with minimal attention. Having experienced promotion and relegation in sports, I never understood the draft's appeal. Pat explained that it represents "a fresh beginning," with hope that teams will acquire players who can lead them to the Super Bowl. He added that it’s also about the tailgating parties. His contacts in the alcohol industry mentioned that wholesalers have been shipping stock by railcar for weeks. Bob added, "Did you know that 85% of all the brandy in the United States is consumed in Wisconsin?"
