Local bands book shows when NFL schedule is released

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) - Fans say the release of the NFL schedule marks the start of football season in their minds.   

One season ticket holder says the right schedule could lead straight to the Super Bowl.

"Best case scenario would be the really good teams at Lambeau Field especially early in the season and the easier teams on the road" says Packers Fan Dick Hendricks.

Hendricks says his family will now start working on hotel reservations.

He is not the only one. Stadium district hotels tell Local 5 it is not rare to sell out at least one popular game the very day the schedule comes out.

Tuesday, local venues are also busy booking bands to rock the home game crowd.

Booking agents for local bands say this is their busiest night of the year.

According to Christopher Dame, guitarist for the Johnny Wad Band "My Sundays are going to be spoken for during Packers season, the entire band will be busy for the season".

Johnny Wad is one of the most requested bands in Titletown.

The 12 year old rock band has a steady gig at The Bar on Holmgren Way and Lambeau Field.

"A lot of the places they already know who they want because they've worked with them for X amount of years" says Ryan VanderSanden, a Booking Agent for Bananas Entertainment.

However, with a growing stadium district there is always room for new artists.

"It is something about live music that people can feed off of. It is much more interactive"
says VanderSanden.

Banana's Entertainment represents dozens of local entertainers.

With the schedule release their calendars will fill up fast.

"It creates that much more of a sense of urgency for everyone to get excited and get their band booked, plan their schedule out just like the players do" says VanderSanden.

The Green Bay Distillery has a game plan for its second season in the stadium district. The will have a live radio show and feature bands before and after games.

"Especially if it is an early game people like to stay after and celebrate either a win or if it is a later game they come out early and make it a whole day experience" says  Mike McNerney, General Manager of the Green Bay Distillery.

Creating an atmosphere that even wins over fans from the opposing team.

"They come out and they are in the front row of the show after the game partying because they cannot believe the kind of party that goes on in Green Bay. They do not see that where their team is playing" says Dame.

Football is just part of the picture.

With the schedule out weekends without home games will quickly be snapped up by weddings and other events.