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ASHWAUBENON — There were Lions and Vikings and Bills, oh my. And Browns and Chiefs and Seahawks, too. Raiders and Rams — and Packers, not a few.
The second annual Super Fan Summit Tailgate Party, held April 25 in proximity to the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, brought together a motley crew of some of the NFL's most devoted fans. These are people who never miss a game at home, and some who don't miss many on the road, either. Some spend hours donning their persona, and some can't eat or drink (or use the bathroom) all day. But all pose patiently with fan after fan for photos and extol the virtues of their team.
They promote goodwill between fans, even if they don't feel the same about those same fans' favorite teams, and they raise money, in this case, nearly $8,000 for New Community Shelter in Green Bay.
"This group shows you can hate the team, but love the fans," said Steampunk Raider Jacob Smith of Las Vegas, whose costume looks exactly how you're imagining it.
Smith knows a little about fans hating fans, or presuming to. He admitted the Raiders have one of the worst reputations for welcoming visiting fans, but it will never be the worst as long as Philadelphia exists. "We have one of the worst reputations, but we are very hospitable," he said.
Smith, who was raised in Neenah but now lives in Vegas, said the summit was a chance to come home, promote unity and do something for the community.
Speaking of the Eagles, Birdman Aaron Ortega attended his fourth draft this week. Like the others, he dons his persona for home games and some road games and loves events like the summit. "I consider (other Super Fans) like family. It's like a brotherhood," he said.
Fans' personas and costumes evolve in different ways. Ben Broumand, of Milan, Michigan, who wears a blue Afro-style wig, became a Detroit Lions season ticket holder in 2014. Every time he wore his wig that season, the Lions won. When he didn't, they didn't, so he decided to always wear the wig. To be fair, the wig has not been infallible, but if the Lions win sometimes with the wig and never without it, the question answers itself.
More: Matthew Golden pick surprises, delights Green Bay Packers fans on first day of NFL draft
More: Detroit Lions president Rod Wood throws shade at Green Bay over expected attendance for 2025 NFL Draft
"Now, I wear it proudly to every home game, especially for the joy it brings to young fans who see a passionate supporter and dream of being one themselves," he wrote on the cards he hands out that briefly tell his story.
To be sure, these folks like to have a good time. There's a lot of taking digs at other teams — Packers fans know what the Bears still do — and loud music, and food, and drink. At one point Friday, Super Fans pulled out their personal shotski rails, which they connected into one rail several first downs-long. At the count of three, they tipped, they drank, and not a drop was spilled.
Shotskis originally were, as the name clearly describes, skis with shot glasses attached, although now shotski rails have been refined and purpose built and are way more portable than skis.
Seasquatch Heath Brewster was on his third trip to Green Bay. "People are so nice here," he said.
A Seattle Seahawks fan, of course, Brewster was taught football by his grandmother after she caught him as a 5-year-old playing with her Steve Largent-signed football. "She said, 'What are you doing?'" he said. He remains a big fan of Pro Football Hall of Famer Largent, and presumably, his grandmother.
And we'll end with Los Angeles Chargers fan Boltman, Doug Butch of Pittsburgh. As in Pennsylvania. That's a story for another day, but Boltman attended the draft in Detroit in 2024 and offered a pleasantly different opinion than Lions President Ron Wood, who somehow didn't get the unity memo when he cast aspersions on Green Bay hosting the 2025 draft.
"This was way better than Detroit," he said.
Contact Richard Ryman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Super Fan Summit brings together brotherhood of very dedicated fans
Continue reading...
The second annual Super Fan Summit Tailgate Party, held April 25 in proximity to the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, brought together a motley crew of some of the NFL's most devoted fans. These are people who never miss a game at home, and some who don't miss many on the road, either. Some spend hours donning their persona, and some can't eat or drink (or use the bathroom) all day. But all pose patiently with fan after fan for photos and extol the virtues of their team.
They promote goodwill between fans, even if they don't feel the same about those same fans' favorite teams, and they raise money, in this case, nearly $8,000 for New Community Shelter in Green Bay.
"This group shows you can hate the team, but love the fans," said Steampunk Raider Jacob Smith of Las Vegas, whose costume looks exactly how you're imagining it.
Smith knows a little about fans hating fans, or presuming to. He admitted the Raiders have one of the worst reputations for welcoming visiting fans, but it will never be the worst as long as Philadelphia exists. "We have one of the worst reputations, but we are very hospitable," he said.
Smith, who was raised in Neenah but now lives in Vegas, said the summit was a chance to come home, promote unity and do something for the community.
Speaking of the Eagles, Birdman Aaron Ortega attended his fourth draft this week. Like the others, he dons his persona for home games and some road games and loves events like the summit. "I consider (other Super Fans) like family. It's like a brotherhood," he said.
Fans' personas and costumes evolve in different ways. Ben Broumand, of Milan, Michigan, who wears a blue Afro-style wig, became a Detroit Lions season ticket holder in 2014. Every time he wore his wig that season, the Lions won. When he didn't, they didn't, so he decided to always wear the wig. To be fair, the wig has not been infallible, but if the Lions win sometimes with the wig and never without it, the question answers itself.
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More: Matthew Golden pick surprises, delights Green Bay Packers fans on first day of NFL draft
More: Detroit Lions president Rod Wood throws shade at Green Bay over expected attendance for 2025 NFL Draft
"Now, I wear it proudly to every home game, especially for the joy it brings to young fans who see a passionate supporter and dream of being one themselves," he wrote on the cards he hands out that briefly tell his story.
To be sure, these folks like to have a good time. There's a lot of taking digs at other teams — Packers fans know what the Bears still do — and loud music, and food, and drink. At one point Friday, Super Fans pulled out their personal shotski rails, which they connected into one rail several first downs-long. At the count of three, they tipped, they drank, and not a drop was spilled.
You must be registered for see images attach
Shotskis originally were, as the name clearly describes, skis with shot glasses attached, although now shotski rails have been refined and purpose built and are way more portable than skis.
Seasquatch Heath Brewster was on his third trip to Green Bay. "People are so nice here," he said.
A Seattle Seahawks fan, of course, Brewster was taught football by his grandmother after she caught him as a 5-year-old playing with her Steve Largent-signed football. "She said, 'What are you doing?'" he said. He remains a big fan of Pro Football Hall of Famer Largent, and presumably, his grandmother.
And we'll end with Los Angeles Chargers fan Boltman, Doug Butch of Pittsburgh. As in Pennsylvania. That's a story for another day, but Boltman attended the draft in Detroit in 2024 and offered a pleasantly different opinion than Lions President Ron Wood, who somehow didn't get the unity memo when he cast aspersions on Green Bay hosting the 2025 draft.
"This was way better than Detroit," he said.
Contact Richard Ryman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Super Fan Summit brings together brotherhood of very dedicated fans
Continue reading...
